Donegal’s sweet scientists were honoured last night as the Donegal Boxing Board held another successful awards bash at Jackson’s Hotel, Ballybofey.
By Chris McNulty. Photos by Joe Boland (North West News Pix)
Donegal’s Irish champions – Bernie McDonagh (Dunfanaghy), Paddy McShane (Letterkenny), Dylan Browne-McMonagle (Letterkenny), Martin McConigley (Letterkenny), Brenda Collins (Dunree), Leah Gallen (Raphoe) – were all honoured having brought national titles back to the county in the season gone by.
Matthew McCole of Dungloe ABC was named as the Best Elite Boxer on the night, while recently-crowned Ulster Senior heavyweight champion Cathal Brown picked up the Best Senior Boxer gong.
Raphoe ABC’s Leah Gallen won two Irish titles in 2018 and will go next month to the European Championships in Russia. Gallen was given the Billy ‘Spider’ Kelly Trophy for the Best Youth Boxer.
Letterkenny ABC were named as the Best Club, awarded the Jimmy Murphy Shield following a superb season that yielded three Irish champions in the form of Paddy McShane, Dylan Browne-McMonagle and Shaun McConigley.
Ulster Council President Kevin Duffy was in attendance and unbeaten Donegal professional middleweight Jason Quigley popped by to wish the locals well.
Letterkenny ABC’s Gerry Daly and Raphoe ABC’s Tommy Stewart were inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Stewart was a founder member of the Raphoe club, alongside Peter O’Donnell and Brendan Ryan. A former boxier himself with the Billy Kelly and St Eugene’s clubs, he has been an ever-present at Raphoe ABC.
Tommy is the Raphoe ABC President and his grandsons, Aaron and Ryan McDaid, now box for the club.
Daly was an international referee who officiated all across the club. A former President in the Donegal County Board, he was the main cog in the Letterkenny ABC wheel for years.
The Donegal Board also presented three appreciation awards: To lifelong Buncrana clubman Thomas Fitzpatrick; to Carrigart’s former boxer-turned-coach Thomas McCarron; and to Myles Gallagher, the popular former anchor of Highland Radio’s Sunday Sport programme – a role he filled for 28 years.
AWARD WINNERS
Harry ‘Kid’ Duffy Memorial Cup (Best Elite Boxer): Matthew McCole (Dungloe)
John McLaughlin Cup (Best Senior Boxer): Cathal Brown (Illies)
Jimmy Murphy Shield (Best Club): Letterkenny ABC
Johnny McDaid Cup (Best Overall Female Boxer): Brenda Collins (Dunree)
Dr Denis McLaughlin Cup (Best Junior Boxer): Labhaoise Clarke (Carndonagh)
Billy ‘Spider’ Kelly Cup (Best Youth Boxer): Leah Gallen (Raphoe)
Jim White Shield (Most Improved Boxer): Dylan Browne-McMonagle (Letterkenny)
Michael Bonner Trophy (Best Juvenile Boxer): Bernie McDonagh (Dunfanaghy)
Irish champions: Bernie McDonagh (Dunfanaghy), Paddy McShane (Letterkenny), Dylan Browne-McMonagle (Letterkenny), Martin McConigley (Letterkenny), Brenda Collins (Dunree), Leah Gallen (Raphoe),
Internationals: Peter O’Donnell (Raphoe), Ciara Anderson (Twin Towns), Darryl Moran (Illies), Eamon Duffy (Illies), Stephen Friel (Illies), Sadie Duffy (Illies).
College Champions: Jessica Clarke (Carndonagh), Labhaoise Clarke (Carndonagh), Danny Boyle (Dungloe), Niamh McCole (Dungloe), Matthew McCole (Dungloe).
Hall of Fame: Tommy Stewart (Raphoe), Gerry Daly (Letterkenny).
Appreciation Awards: Myles Gallagher (Highland Radio), Thomas Fitzpatrick (Buncrana), Thomas McCarron (Carrigart).
Referee/Judges: Thomas McCarron (Carrigart), Mandy Douglas (Letterkenny), Maeve McCarron (Carrigart), Rory McShane (Letterkenny), John Doherty (Carndonagh), David Tennyson (Dungloe), John McMonagle (Letterkenny), Gary McBride (Dunfanaghy), Mary Kelly (Dunfanaghy), Teresa McGinley (Dunfanaghy), Daniel Callaghan (Carndonagh).
Club awards: Odhrán McGinley (Dunfanaghy), Lee Boyd (Convoy), Barry Donnelly (Carrigart), Andrew Cunningham (Carndonagh), Adam McDaid (St Brigid’s), Matthew Carlin (Dunree), Eoin McGarrell (Raphoe), Emmet O’Gara (St John Bosco), Declan Duffy (Twin Towns), Tiarnan Rodgers (Dungloe), Shaun McConigley (Letterkenny).
