Dean Walsh proved too slick for gutsy Brett McGinty in tonight’s Irish Elite welterweight final in Dublin.
Walsh, moving up to welterweight after claiming three previous titles at light-welter, took a unanimous decision after a bout that was certainly closer for long spells than the end result might reflect.
Walsh took the win 5-0 with four of the five arbitrators at ringside 30-27 in favour of the Wexford man; the other 29-28 for Walsh.
McGinty just turned 18 in September and can expect many more big nights here, but this was just a bridge too far for the St Johnston man.
The flame-haired, power-pawed Oakleaf ABC puncher did manage to show his worth at times, but Walsh’s experience told here.
McGinty’s best patch was in the opening half of the second round, but by then it was evident that he might need to summons something extra special as Walsh had edged the opening round.
The South Circular Road’s famous old theatre was heaving to its dusty old gills on a night when Joe Ward retained the 81kgs crown after being made work hard for a 4-1 decision against Anthony Browne.
McGinty took to the ring looking razor sharp and the two men were at war in stages, but Walsh boxed smartly, as the might have been expected with a man of his experience.
McGinty had racked up bags of experience on this very canvas before, winning eight national titles since 2010, the first of which he claimed in April 2010 and a Boy 1 46kgs crown after a win against Castlebar’s Colm Quinn.
He’s worn the Irish vest plenty of times, too, and captained the Irish team for the 2016 European and World Championships, with medals won at European Schoolboy (bronze in 2012) and Commonwealth Youth (silver in 2015) level in his time.
There was little doubt that this was the biggest night of his young career
The Elite finals razzmatazz was there in all its glory, from the Irish dancing set to kick-start the night, the disco lights and the raucous crowd.
As he left the arena, head bowed and already reflecting, there could be no doubt that McGinty will be back and, in time, he might reflect that it was Jason Quigley’s fourth year as an Elite boxer before he left with the silverware.
Earlier in the night, Illies Golden Gloves’ Darryl Moran lost out in a belter of a light-flyweight decider, going down to St Joseph’s Derry’s Blaine Dobbins.
Former Raphoe boxer Caroline Connolly, now representing Mourne Golden Gloves, was stopped in the second round by Leona Houlihan of Crumlin in the second round of the women’s 81kgs final.
RESULTS SO FAR – NATIONAL ELITE CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017
48kg Shannon Sweeney (St Annes) lost to Kristina O’Hara (St John Bosco A) 0-5
51kg Carly McNaul (Ormeau Road) W/O
56kg Kurt Walker (Canal) beat Stephen McKenna (Old School) 5-0
69kg Gillian Duffy (Bray) lost to Grainne Walsh (Spartacus) RSC3
57kg Dervla Duffy (Mulhuddart) beat Moira McElligott (St Michaels Athy) 4-1
54kg Terry Mullarney (Ballyhaunis) W/O
81kg Caroline Connolly (Mourne GG) lost to Leona Houlihan (Crumlin) RSC2
49kg Darryl Moran (Illies GG) lost to Blaine Dobbins (St Josephs Derry) 2-3
81kg Joe Ward (Moate) beat Anthony Browne (St Michaels Dub) 4-1
60kg Kelly Harrington (Glasnevin) beat Shauna O’Keeffe (Clonmel) 4-1
60kg George Bates (St Marys Dublin) lost to Patrick Mongan (Olympic) 2-3
64kg Emma Agnew (Dealgan) lost to Ciara Ginty (Geesala) 0-5
64kg Sean McComb (Holy Trinity) beat Wayne Kelly (Ballynacargy) 5-0
52kg Brendan Irvine (St Pauls) beat Thomas McCarthy (Mayfield) 5-0
69kg Dean Walsh (St Ibars) beat Brett McGinty (Oakleaf) 5-0
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