The national female championships for 11-year-old to 16-year-old boxers were held in the National Stadium last Friday and Saturday with a fantastic total 24 Mayo boxers weighing in for the championships. On Friday evening it was the girl one and girl two boxers that stepped into the ring and Mayo girls won seven out of the ten contests they were involved in.
Megan Sweeny (St Anne’s ) got things going in the girl one 27kg event, seeing off her opponent 13/8 over the three rounds. In the process picking up the eighth title of the year for her club.
In the girl one 42kg division, Niamh O’Neill was unlucky to lose her semi-final on a count back after the bout finished 18-18, she lost out on a score of 31-28 on the count-back.
Golden Gloves won the first of their hat trick of titles when Laura Padden
won her girl one 44kg final by double scores 24-12. In the 46kg grade Aoibha Ginty from Geesala BC saw off Leanne Coffey by a single point on a score of 18-17 in a tough battle, with each of the previous rounds finishing level before the final round saw Ginty come out on top.
Ballina Stevens from Ballina BC, never really got going in her 57kg girl one bout and lost out on a score of 7-3 after three rounds. Aoibha Carrabine Geesala BC got Mayo back on winning ways in the next contest defeating Shona Daly Monkstown Dublin on a very impressive score of 13-3.
The Ardagh/Crossmolina’s clubs, sole entrant over the weekend, Ethal Leonard lost out in the 63kg division on a score of 13-4. However, Catherine Walsh from St Anne’s BC was next up and she was very impressive stopping her opponent in the second round of the girl three, 44kg category to claim her clubs second title of the weekend.
Kayleigh Lynch Golden Gloves represented Mayo in the girl two, 36kg grade, in an enthralling close bout against fellow Connacht opponent Alanna Waldron, last season’s National champion. It was the Mayo girl that finished the strongest and won by 13-10.
Ann Lisa Sweeney, from Knockmore BC did not do enough in her final, behind from the end of round one, her opponent Jessica Clarke from Carndonagh BC was able to hold her off to win by four points. The biggest surprise of the evening came when last season’s girl 11, 42kg champion Ellen Mc Donagh, St Anne’s was defeated by Marguirita Nevin St Bridget’s Kildare.
Joanne Padden, Golden Gloves won her second national title defeating Maggie Cullen Fermoy BC in the girl two, 48kg class.
On the second day of the championships Rosie Conroy, Geesala picked up her third national title in the girl 3, 48kg grade with a 24-6 win over her opponent.
Four time national champions Ashling Joyce, from Ballinrobe failed to make claim her fifth national title when she was defeated by Natasha Logan of Royston BC. Golden Gloves BC, Jaqui Lynch was next up in the Girl five, 48kg final and she disposed of her opponent in the first round, picking up her sixth national title. Another of last season’s champions Jamie Butler Ballinrobe stopped Michelle Mc Donagh St Paul’s BC in the opening round to lift the girl five, 52kg title.
Grainne Galvin from Castlebar picked up her, third national title after a tough 9-8 win over Shannon McCormack from Kilfenora BC.
Geesala BC’s Ciara Ginty lost out to the current European junior champion, Amy Broadhurst on a score of 16-12 in the girl 5, 57kg final.
Claire Mc Donagh, Castlebar BC went down to Saidhbh Greene , Ballinacarra BC in the girl 5, 60 kg category on a score of 15-5. Ciara Sheedy, Swinford BC was very impressive in her girl five, 63kg division defeating Clodagh Greene South Meath BC on a comfortable score of 16-7. Shannon Timlin Geesala BC added her third title to her record in three years winning the girl five, 75kg title by stopping her opponent Amy Mulvanny St Seachnalls BC in the third round. Sarah Damson, Castlebar was out of her league in the girl six, 57kg category, loosening out to Helen J Carthy, Paulstown. The referee stopped the contest in round two. Joe Hennigan president of the County Board said: “The female boxing this weekend was one of the best championships he had seen for years. The collective training that was held in Westport over the last couple of months has benefited our female boxers a great deal. Even though we had 24 boxers in the final of these championships, winning 14 titles was a magnificent achievement, and we had hard luck in another two or three bouts. The total number of national titles so far this season is 32 and we are on target to reach last year’s amazing tally of 43.”
