Two out of three ain’t bad for Mayo boxers

Mayo boxers won two out of three contests in the Senior Cadet Championships last weekend. Two boxers from St Anne’s BC and one from Ballyhaunis BC had qualified for the semi-finals of the championships. Martin Collins St Anne’s was in the 54kg division and obtained a walkover in the semi finals as his opponent Kalum Mc Conville (Dealgan BC ) had obtained a hand injury during the week. Sean Conroy was boxing in the 75kg class and was the first Mayo boxer between the ropes, his opponent was Keelon Sexton (Ennis BC ). This was Conroy’s final as Sexton has a big reputation and the Ballyhaunis boxer put on a magnificent performance of strength and speed in the opening round finishing on double scores of 6-3. In what was an all action contest Conroy piled on the big blows for the next two minutes finishing round two 12-5 ahead. Both boys tired nearing the final bell and the Mayo boxer finished on a very comfortable score of 18-8. Francis Carr from St Anne’s was the next Mayo boxer into the ring on Saturday evening and the current boy four national champion lost the contest in the first round. Carr came back to the corner after the first bell 3-1 down and that was the beginning of the end for the St Anne’s boy. Carr lifted his performance in round two and equalled his opponent Gary Maughan (Cavan BC ) punch for punch. The Mayo boxer held his own in round two and maintained the two point deficit he had mounted at the end of round one, finishing the round 7-5. It was all on the final round and two points was not an impossible task for the strong St Anne’s boy. Carr just did enough in round three to equal Maughan’s scoring and after three gruelling rounds the Mayo boxer was knocked out of the competition on a score of 8-10. On the final day’s boxing on Sunday, Mayo had two contestants in action in the finals and both boys did themselves and club proud. Martin Collins (St Anne’s ) won his first national title defeating Vlad Kamarcshuchuk (Wexford CBS ) having to come from behind to accomplish this great feat. Down 3-4 after the first bell Collins dug deep into his reserves and overturned the score in his favour in the next two minutes to 6-5. Collins kept his opponent scoreless in the final round with a tight defence and lifted the National Senior Cadet 54kg title on a score of 8-5. Sean Conroy (Ballyhaunis BC ) made it 18 national titles so far this season for Mayo boxers and his seventh personal title and second this season. Conroy is a former European Schoolboy bronze medallist and this showed in his splendid performance against Ryan Devine (Immaculata BC ). The Ballyhaunis boxer stopped Devine in round two with powerful punching to the head and body.