Sweeney hits right note to win war

Amateur boxing

16/05/2009

A war won in the last two seconds. That’s how Ulster president Pat McCrory described big John Sweeney’s last-gasp victory in the finals of the Arafura Games in Australia last night.
The Donegal digger captured gold with the last punch of an absorbing heavyweight decider to seal a great night for the NI team, a night when four Ulster boxers struck gold.
“John won a war with only seconds to go against a very tough Aussie,’’ said Northern Ireland team manager McCrory.
“The score was locked at 8-8 and it looked like going to a countback when John landed a cracking right just two seconds before the bell to win 9-8.’’
And the Northern Ireland boxing team will return from Australia laden with gold after all the Ulster finalists produced the goods in Darwin.
Anthony Cacace (Holy Trinity) also bagged bronze.
Four boxers in the finals and four golden awards at the end of the night represents one of the most successful NI medal hauls in international competition.
“Michael Conlan won our first gold with a clearcut 10-1 decision over Papua New Guinea flyweight Camilo Kiakai,’’ added McCrory.
“What adds to the achievement is that young Conlan was suffering from an injured muscle in his right arm which he sustained in his first bout.
“Even so, he was always in control, winning every round.”
Ballymena’s Stephen Donnelly was another to impress and was named ‘Best Boxer of the Championships’.
The All Saints light-welter was up against a very impressive counter-puncher in Oatchariya Haewsuno (Thailand) in the 64 kilos decider.
“Stephen boxed superbly to win the first round and even when the Thai stepped up the pace in the second Stephen matched him in every way, holding the centre of the ring brilliantly to go into a 7-3 lead.
“The same again was order of the day in the third and this brilliant display by Stephen earned him a 12-5 win.”
Monkstown light heavy Steven Ward joined his team-mates on the victory rostrum with a 13-point win over Michael Sacco (Northern Territory, Australia).
This was Ward’s third good win on-the-trot in the Darwin event, during which the rugged Belfast lad scored 37 points to 8 against, a high scoring ratio.
Ward’s greater firepower told in the final, an 18-5 decision securing gold.

Left Hooks

Seconds Out - Left Hooks
By Eamonn O’Hara & Thomas Hawkins
05/05/09

A squad of newly-crowned Ulster senior champions are winging their way Down Under to compete in the Arafura Games in Darwin.
With the Senior Championships pushed back from their traditional January slot, the invite to compete in the Oceanic tournament will round off the season for Ulster’s new titleholders.

Arafura Games, Darwin Australia, May 6 to May 18:
51kg: M Conlon (St John Bosco, Belfast); 57kg: M McCullough (Cairnlodge); 60kg: A Cacace (Holy Trinity); 64kg: S Donnelly (All Saints); 69kg: N McGinley (Bishop Kelly); 81kg: S Ward (Monkstown); 91kg: J Sweeney (Dungloe); Team manager: Pat McCrory, Coaches: Michael O’Neill (Bishop Kelly), John Conlan (St John Bosco, Belfast); Referee/Judge: Tom McGaharan (Immaculata)

- Ulster boxing is mourning the passing of former St Patrick’s, Coalisland ABC stalwart Charlie McNally.
“Charlie was a great worker for many, many years and trained some great champions in his time,” said Clonoe ABC coach Frank Gervin.
“He trained Tommy Muldoon, probably the first Irish international from around this area, (he fought against the Italians), Shane Corr, PJ McAliskey and, of course, Patsy Forbes.
“Charlie was also a great athlete himself, he won an Ulster title in athletics, and was also a very good gaelic footballer in his time.
“He was a real gentleman, a man who brought out the best in people, he’ll be sadly missed.”

- Ulster boxers had mixed fortunes as 16 Irish champions were crowned in the finals of the Irish Junior Cadet Championships at the National Stadium in Dublin at the weekend.
The Moran brothers, Daryl and Leigh, both of the Illies Golden Gloves club, were celebrating on the double.
The Lisburn club also celebrated a brace following wins for Jason McKay and Kurt Walker.
McKay edged one of contests of the tournament with Dean Logan.
Talented St Francis light flyweight Lee Reeves landed the first title of the day after seeing off the challenge of Luke Thomas in an exciting all-Munster 48kg decider.
Jason McDonagh emerged victorious over Joe Joyce after a double count-back and up-and-coming Tipperary star Jack Connelly beat Kieran Doherty by the odd point in five at 50kg to land the Clonmel club’s seventh Irish title of 2009.
The skilful Kealen Hurley claimed another title for Munster at the expense of Donal Robinson and Shane McIntyre beat Sean Og Deeds to make it 12 Irish titles so far this year for the Geesala ABC.
Toome teenager Gerard McCorley and Darryl Byrne were level at 2-2 after round one of their 57kg clash.
The Co Antrim teenager connected with a beautiful right to take the lead in the second – but Byrne landed two shots without reply in the final frame to claim bantamweight glory by one point at the end of a top class three rounder.
Gerard Whitehouse also had his hand raised in victory, while Francis Mongan completed the first half of a Finn Valley brace, Michael Gallagher sealing the double for the Donegal club with a 7-2 win over Aaron Giles of the Cairn Lodge club.
The red corner dominated the last four duels with Patrick McDonagh, John Joe Nevin, Hugh Nevin – both relations of Irish 2008 Olympian and European Union champion, John Joe Nevin – and Gary Cully progressing to next Friday night’s 39kg and 42kg finals.

- IRELAND’S Joe Ward and Michael Reilly boxed their way into today’s finals of the Heydar Aliyev Cup in Azerbaijan with?impressive semi-final wins in Baku yesterday, writes Bernard O’Neill.
But Chris Mullaly bowed out of the 10-nation tournament?at the?last four?stage after?suffering a 5-3?reversal to Dmitriy Rubtsov of Russia on Monday.
Moate middleweight Ward, who won silver at this tournament last year, beat Askin Burak of Turkey 11-2 and Dublin?light-welter Michael Reilly?out-pointed Singh Vishal of India 4-1.
Ward, who is captaining the Irish side in Baku, and Reilly are now guaranteed at least silver and Mulally will be taking home bronze.

Results12th May	Results13th May
Results14th May	Results15th May
Results16th May
NI BOXERS WIN BIG AT ARAFURA GAMES 2009

Boxing Australia Inc. Report to AIBA