Burns now student of the sweet science

DONALL Burns is currently taking time away from the books at the University of Ulster.
The 19-year-old is studying media at Coleraine and, last night at the Dockers club, if it was a punchy headline he was after the Gleann lightweight certainly knew how to deliver it.
He hammered out a stunning intermediate final win over Eastside’s Michael Harvey, though surprisingly he was taken to the judges score as his battered rival refused to throw in the towel and the referee declined to stop the contest.
Harvey took a standing count in round two and with the big heavy left hooks hitting home flush he was given two more in a punishing third session.
At the end of that round it was 19-1, a long lost cause, but Harvey certainly took full marks for fighting spirit.
“He’s tough. We fought in the Antrim final two years ago. I won then but I thought this one should have been stopped.
“Michael took some heavy shots in there,” said Donall, who in 2006 took silver at the Four Nations in Liverpool.
Harvey showed lots of heart in the final round, scored 6-5, picked up a warning for punching after instructed to break and took a couple of crunching hooks.
The fans relished the war, the big hits, drama but the decision was never in doubt from the second minute.
Gleann scored a double on the night with powerful welterweight Patrick Gallagher defeating Matthew Neeson (Dockers) 26-11.
In the light-welter final Kevin McIntyre, of St Joesph’s, Derry, won an enthralling close four-round battle with James McDonagh of Dockers by the minimum margin.
McIntyre’s good movement and clean punching with his right edged the verdict 13-12, the bout being decided in the last half-minute.

LAST NIGHT’S RESULTS
Light-flyweight (48kg): Simon Lennon (Sacred Heart Newry) walkover
Flyweight (51kg): Ciaran McConville (Gilford) lost to David F Nevin (Cavan) 6-18
Bantamweight (54kg): Colin Glendenning (Errigal) lost to Paul Quinn (All Blacks) 2-9
Featherweight (57kg): Mark O’Hara (Holy Trinity) beat Steven Richmond (Braid) 21-10
Lightweight (60kg): Donall Burns (Gleann) beat Michael Harvey (Eastside) 25-6
Light-welterweight (64kg): Kevin McIntyre (St Joseph’s) beat James McDonagh (Dockers) 13-12
Welterweight (67kg): Patrick Gallagher (Gleann) beat Matthew Neeson (Dockers) 26-11
Super-welterweight (69kg): Raymond Breslin (Ring) lost to Ben McCourt (Lisburn) 12-25
Light-middleweight (71kg): Ben Davidson (Lisburn) lost to Michael Bustard (Monkstown) RSC3
Heavyweight: Bernard Manning (Clonard) walkover

Female Championship Finals
46kg: Danielle McDowell (Monkstown) walkover
51kg: Louise Walsh (Holy Trinity) walkover
57kg: Evon McCartney (Cavan) lost to Christine McMahon (Carrickmacross) 4-12
 

Mighty perfomance takes Quinn to title

Patsy Quinn Ulster Intermediate Boxing Championship finals
From Eamonn O’Hara at the Dockworkers Club
15/11/2008
 

PAUL Quinn, a sharp dresser with his personalised black and white Roman gladiator-style trunks sporting the nickname ‘Sweet Pea’, matched the attire last night with a stylish switch-hitting performance to win a first Ulster intermediate title.
The 17-year-old, boxing out of the All Blacks club in county Down, put on a classy display, sometimes from the orthodox stance, occasionally southpaw, to out-fox and out-gun former multi-time Ulster schoolboy and youth champion Colin Glendenning of Errigal ABC.
But behind the bantamweight victory, scored 9-2, the teenager had come through a remarkable private battle with severe illness that totally ruled him out of sport for a-year-and-a-half.
His father and coach, Paddy, was a proud man after the final bell marked a terrific comeback to ring and said: “I am so delighted for Paul after what he’s been through for the past 18 months.
“He was very, very ill for such a long time and we thought he was going to die at one stage.
“Paul was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, a very serious problem with the digestive system, and he was a year and a half away from boxing. To be honest, I thought he wouldn’t box again.
“Paul had to have two blood transfusions. At a time it really was looking very bad for him, but he pulled through.
“For him to come through what he suffered and be able to return to his boxing, just to be fit and well again, is tremendous.
“I’m very pleased that he’s won an Ulster title.”
As slippery as an eel, nimble on his feet and fast-handed, the apprentice tiler used left jab and right hook to build up a 3-0 lead after the first round and showed excellent composure to deal with Glendenning’s attacks, switching now and then to box southpaw, to move 6-0 ahead after four minutes.
A very difficult target for the game Garvagh lad, the third involved more spoiling on the inside, few clean shots for an 8-1 lead and he was
content to slip out of range in the fourth to finish out an impressive seven-point winner.
His father added: “I had hoped that he would be able to compete in the U18 Championships, but he is nine days overage, so we will now think about entering the Irish Intermediates.”

Cavan ABC’s David F Nevin claimed the flyweight title, settling quicker to open up a 4-1 lead in the first with a couple of two-fisted bursts, and finishing his bout with Gilford’s game Ciaran McConville with a 7-0 last round for an 18-6 win.
McConville produced a few nice left hooks and pressurised, but too often was made to miss and, oozing confidence, Nevin picked off his rival cleanly time and again in the final session.

Mark O’Hara of Holy Trinity and Braid teenager Steven Richmond fought out an eye-catching featherweight decider, O’Hara taking the decision 21-10.
The stronger puncher, he planted solid accurate rights, opening up a 12-6 after two rounds. It was 5-4 at the end of the first.
Richmond, boxing well, particularly his right hook to the body, edged the third but suffered nose damage in the fourth and tired to see a five-point deficit pushed out to 11, a margin that was a bit tough on the Ballymena teenager even though O’Hara was a clear winner.
 

Down duo aim for Friday night Black-out

Two talented Down teenagers are targeting Ulster Intermediate titles this Friday night. Bantamweight Paul Quinn (right in pic) and light-heavy Matthew Toner (left in pic), guided by All Blacks coaches Paddy Quinn and Richard Hawkins, are hoping to bring Ulster honours back to their Glassdrummond base.
For young Quinn, who was forced to sit on the sidelines for over a year due to a rare blood disorder, a title win will be a fitting reward after a long, hard road back to competition.
“Paul has battled hard to get back into the sport, he’s a credit to the club, a great campaigner,’’ said club supporter Eamonn Toner.
Quinn, a six-time Ulster champion at boy and youth level, faces Errigal bantam Colm Glendenning for the Intermediate crown. Matthew Toner clashes with Paul Ferguson for the 85 kilos Ulster crown.

Patsy Quinn Ulster Intermediate Championships finals programme
Dockworkers Club, Belfast, Friday, 7.30pm.
Light-flyweight: Simon Lennon (Sacred Heart, Newry) Walkover;
Fly: Ciaran McConville (Gilford) v David F Nevin (Cavan);

Bantam: Colin Glendenning (Errigal) v Paul Quinn (All Blacks);

Feather: Mark O’Hara (Holy Trinity) v Steven Richmond (Braid);

Light: Donal Burns (Gleann) v Michael Harvey (Eastside);

Light-welter: Kevin McIntyre (St Joseph’s) v James McDonagh (Dockers);

Welter: Patrick Gallagher (Gleann v Matthew Neeson (Dockers);

Super-welter: Raymond Breslin (Ring) v Ben McCourt (Lisburn);

Light-middle: Ben Davidson (Lisburn) v Michael Bustard (Monkstown);

Middle: Noel McCarron (Carrigart) v Patrick Heron (Springhill);
Light-heavy: Paul Ferguson (Ring) v Matthew Toner (All Blacks);

Cruiser: Declan Trainor (St Bronagh‘s) v Colm Caulfield (Castleblayney);

Heavy: Bernard Manning (Clonard) v Matthew Gill (Lisburn);

Super-heavy: Stephen McMonagle (Holy Trinity) v Ben Urquart (Dockers);

46kg: Danielle McDowell (Monkstown) Walkover;

51kg: Louise Walsh (Holy Trinity) Walkover;

57kg: Evon McCartney (Cavan) v Christine McMahon (Carrickmacross)

McDonagh powers into another final

Amateur Boxing: Patsy Quinn Ulster Intermediate Championships
From Eamonn O’Hara at the Dockworkers Club
07/11/08
 

JAMES McDonagh is back where his fighting fists brought him to 12 months ago, the Ulster Intermediate title box-off, but this time the 20-year-old light-welterweight aims to stay on his bike, so to speak.
He powered into the finals then, only to be involved in a motorcycling crash on the eve of the Championship decider. The accident kept him sidelined until eight months ago.
The Dockers prospect wasted no time in making the qualifying mark for next week’s match-up against Derry’s Kevin McIntyre of St Joseph’s with a second round stoppage of game Phoenix rival Barry Bell.
“I made the final last year but couldn’t box in it as I crashed my motorbike just before it,” he said.
“I wrecked my ankle, tore tendons and pulled ligaments. I was out for a couple of months and only came back in February to prepare for this Championship.
“I had a tough fight on Monday and I’m pleased to get through to the final.
“I caught him with a big right uppercut in the second. It was a matter of time after that.”
McIntyre snatched control of his semi-final with good work behind a long reach to pick off Gilford’s ponderous Sean Lennon, who was too prone to throwing single shots. McIntyre won 12-6.
Apart from McDonagh’s explosive display, the other bout to catch the eye in the first seven of 13 semi-finals was at welter where Gleann’s compact and hard-hitting Patrick Gallagher stormed into a title clash with another of the Dockers contingent, Matt Neeson.
Gallagher led 3-0 after two minutes, powered 8-0 clear, forcing two standing counts for Gilford’s Peader McComiskey, before the contest was stopped.
Neeson survived a standing count in the first (scored 4-4) before coming on strong to see Neil Murphy of Holy Cross retired.
Murphy, quick and busy, lacked accuracy and failed to deal with Neeson’s straight rights in a 5-0 second round. His corner declined to retire him.
Braid’s tall upright feather Steven Richmond shaded Glenside’s James O’Donnell 12-10.
Behind 4-2 early in the second round, he reeled off seven scoring shots in-a-row before O’Donnell finished with a much more aggressive fourth round, closing the gap to one point before Richmond nicked the insurance score in the last 10 seconds.
He will face Holy Trinity’s Mark O’Hara in next week’s final. O’Hara’s solid defence, good movement to land his left hook, defeated energetic Gerard Matthews of Gleann 14-8.
At super-welter (69kgs), Ben McCourt of Lisburn and Convoy’s Mark Cawley produced a too close to call four-round battle,
McCourt’s cleaner work, especially in the second (a 3-1 round), edging the result 10-9.
Cawley will be kicking himself for unnecessary posturing in the last minute that wasted time and threw away what chance he had to turn it around.

RESULTS
Featherweight (57kg): Gerard Matthews (Gleann) lost to Mark O’Hara (Holy Trinity) 8-14;

James O’Donnell (Glenside) lost to Steven Richmond (Braid) 10-12.
Light-welterweight (64kg): Sean Lennon (Gilford) lost to Kevin McIntyre (St Joseph’s) 6-12;

Barry Bell (Phoenix) lost to James McDonagh (Dockers) RSC2.
Welterweight (67kg): Peadar McComiskey (Gilford) lost to Patrick Gallagher (Gleann) RSC2;

Matt Neeson (Dockers) beat Neil Murphy (Holy Cross) RTD3.*
Super-welterweight (69kg): Ben McCourt (Lisburn) beat Martin Cawley (Convoy) 10-9.
Light-middleweight (71kg): Noel Tierney (Mark Heagney ABC) lst Ben Davidson (Gilford) 17-18;

Matt McCartan (Banbridge) lst Michael Bustard (Monkstown) 2-7
Middleweight (75kg): John Mulhern (Clonard) lost Noel McCarron (Carrigart) 5-17;

Patrick Heron (Springhill) beat Mathew Johnston (Abbey) 16-15
 

Tommy’s one to watch

Boxing
By Staff Reporter
06/11/08
 

LIKE many holidaymakers, Tommy McCarthy’s luggage was heavier coming home from Mexico than going out. But the Belfast teenager

wasn’t there on vacation, he went to compete in the World Youth Boxing Championships and brought back a bronze medal.

He’ll treasure that medal for the rest of his life, but the souvenirs which could turn out to be most valuable didn’t go into his luggage – the training, the fitness, the know-how, the atmosphere, the crowd, the opponents, the sounds, the smells...

All will stand him in good stead and he has stored them up to help him along the way on a career which has the potential to be superb.

Going to Mexico has lit a fire in the young man from Lenadoon.

“It was brilliant, it was the best trip I was ever on,” said McCarthy who enjoyed the competition and camaraderie with his mates on the Ireland team.

He started with a tough opener against Olympic junior gold medalist Ovidijus Martinkenas, of Lithuania.
“Once I walked out into the stadium – there was a big crowd and the arena was massive – I was nervous. “But I relaxed and got the shots off.
 

“I dropped him with a left hook in the third and hit him a couple more shots and the ref stopped it.”
He took on Pezhman Seifhami in his next contest – the prize was a place in the semi-finals.
“The second contest was more nerve-wracking because, if I won, I was guaranteed a medal,” he said.
“The fella was good, he was a counter-puncher and I was looking to counter-punch. I kept my hands high and tried to draw him in. Once he made the first move, I was quicker off the mark and caught him.”
The tactical lessons were not lost to McCarthy, who has returned home with a new-found respect for cornermen and coaches.
“You can’t box the same in every fight,” he said. “You have to listen to the corner, because they’re always right – if it wasn’t for them I probably wouldn’t have won a medal.”
He’s disappointed that the medal he brought home wasn’t silver or gold. Ahead by a point going into the final round of his semi-final against Russia’s Marten Magomedov, McCarthy was well placed for a place in the final.
It wasn’t to be: “In the last round he was trying to come back and I was trying to build up my lead.
“He was getting points a lot easier than me. I had to hit him with clean shots to score and he was getting points for just tipping me.
“It was controversial, I got a big clap from the Mexican crowd when I was getting out of the ring.
“But I don’t feel bitter about it, that’s the way boxing goes. I gave everything I had. The coaches were happy and I was with happy with how I performed. It wasn’t that hard, the whole competition wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be.
McCarthy admits that he would like to go the next Olympics, in London, but sees his future in the pro ranks.
“I’ve always wanted to be a pro, from I started,” he said. “I never watched amateur boxing, even now I don’t watch it. No-one ever gets knocked out, it’s not as exciting.
“Everyone likes seeing knock-outs and knocking people out. I’d like to get paid to do it.”
Tommy’s on a journey. He’s got a long road ahead of him, but he’s making his way one step at a time.

tonight’s ULSTER INTERMEDIATE ACTION
Patsy Quinn Ulster Intermediate Boxing Championships semi-finals:
Featherweight (57kg): G Matthews (Gleann) v M O’Hara (Immaculata),

J O’Donnell (Glenside) v S Richmond (Braid);

Lt-Welterweight (64kg): B Bell (Phoenix) v J McDonagh (Dockers);
Welterweight (67kg): P McComiskey (Gilford) v P Gallagher (Gleann),

M Neeson (Dockers) v N Murphy (Holy Cross);

Super-Welterweight (69kg): B McCourt (Lisburn) v M Crawley (Convoy)
Lt-Middleweight (71kg): N Tierney (M Heagney) v B Davidson (Gilford),

M McCartan (Banbridge) v M Bustard (Monkstown);

Middleweight (75kg): J Mulhern (Clonard) v N McCarron (Carrigart),
P Heron (Springhill) v M Johnston (Abbey);

Lt-Heavyweight (81kg): S Doherty (Dungloe) v M Toner (All Blacks),

D Jardine (Dungannon) v P Ferguson (Ring)
 

Tierney sets sights on going all the way

Boxing clever: Niall Tierney (M Heagney ABC) fires at right hand at Francis Murphy in last night’s Patsy Quinn Intermediate Boxing Championships at the Dockworkers Club. Picture: Seamus Loughran

Noel Tierney set his sights on winning the Ulster intermediate light-middleweight title after an impressive win at the Dockworkers Club last night.
In the first contest of the last night’s Patsy Quinn Ulster Intermediate Championship bill, Tierney (M Heagney ABC) stopped Ligoniel ABC’s Francis Murphy after three rounds.
The Tyrone man stayed behind his crisp jab to shade the first 2-1.
His longer reach continued to pay dividends in the second, but Murphy landed a left-right to his head which left his nose bloodied in the second with the contest all-square at 5-5.
Tierney continued to box clever in the third and an exhausted Murphy called it quits at the bell.
“My jab’s a very hard punch, and when I let the right hand go it’s hard to stop,” said Tierney.
“I’m definitely hopeful of getting to the final.”
The Kildress man will face Gilford ABC’s Ben Davidson in tomorrow night’s semi-finals.
Davidson shaded a no-holds-barred slugfest with John Hutchinson, Illies ABC.
It was 4-4 at the end of the first and the boxers went toe-to-toe again in the second, trading furiously in another high-scoring round that ended with the deadlock unbroken.
Southpaw Davidson, in his first contest in 18 months, edged ahead in the third and did just enough in the final round to win 13-12.
“I’m just pleased to get through it, he was strong,” said the Gilford man afterwards.
Davidson’s near neighbour, Matthew McCartan of Banbridge ABC, is also through to the last four.
McCartan’s accurate punching enabled him to see off Abbey’s Gerard Gilmore.
After the first round ended 2-2, Gilmore found the target with some thumping bodyshots in the second.
McCartan returned the favour and was on target with a crisp right hand early in the third. But Gilmore finished the round well to leave just a point in it, 8-7.
The Banbridge man kept his nerve in the last, and picked Gilmore off to wrap up a gutsy 10-7 victory.
McCartan will face tough Monkstown southpaw Michael Bustard in the semis.
Bustard dealt impressively with Adam McBurney (Banbridge ABC), drawing the youngster in and then scoring with well-timed shots.
After shading the first 2-1, he won the contest in the second which ended with him 7-2 ahead –  McBurney was forced to take an eight count after a crisp combination to the head.
Well behind, he rallied in the second half of the contest, but lost out 12-5.
At middleweight, Carrigart ABC’s Noel McCarron booked a semi-final spot with a convincing win over Immaculata’s Colm McCorry.
The Donegal man was quick on the draw in the second, repeatedly picking off the advancing Mac man.
He had built up a 15-6 lead by the end of the third and stayed out of trouble, just about, in the last to seal a 20-11 win.

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McBurney battles back

ADAM McBurney recovered from a second round standing count to book a place in the Patsy Quinn Ulster Intermediate light-heavyweight final at the Dockworkers Club last night.
The Banbridge ABC boxer will face southpaw Michael Bustard, who also scored an impressive semi-final win, forcing Sacred Heart, Newry boxer Grattan O’Hagan to retire after three rounds of the night’s first contest.
Bustard was always in control against the limited, but game, O’Hagan and sent a straight left through his guard in the opening round.
He continued to dominate in the second and led 7-2 at the end of the third when O’Hagan retired with a cut eye.
“He was awkward, but I knew I was comfortable,” said Bustard.
In the first featherweight quarter-final of the night, Gleann’s Gerard Matthews shaded a close contest against Dockers’ Chris Meighan.
Matthews led 5-2 at the end of an
action-packed opener. Both fighters traded furiously at the start of the second when, conservatively, 25 punches were thrown. Only one scored, to Meighan who had closed the gap to 5-2 by the bell.
Going into the final round, the Dockers man had extended his lead to two points, but Matthews came out blazing in the last and took the contest 8-6.
Holy Trinity’s Mark O’Hara will be his semi-final opponent after he stopped Errigal ABC’s Paul Ferris.
The impressive O’Hara began slowly, but gradually built momentum and two stinging body shots in the third round caused Ferris to take a count.
Referee Gerry Wilson called a halt moments later with O’Hara 14-3 ahead and coasting.
Also through to the featherweight semis is Glenside’s James O’Donnell who finished well against Oakleaf ABC’s Darren Quigley.
The pair were locked together at 2-2 at the halway stage, but the stylish O’Donnell opened up a 5-4 lead in the third and stayed ahead in the last to seal a deserved 8-5 win.
He will face Braid ABC 17-year-old Steven Richmond in the last four.
The Ballymena man was up against Martin Frazer, of Lisburn, who used his jab to good effect in the first to lead 2-0 at the bell.
Richmond battled back in the second, but Frazer landed straight rights and left hooks to stay ahead, 5-3.
It was 8-8 at the end of the third as both boxers traded relentlessly and Richmond continued to power forward in the final round which he won 7-2 to take the contest by six (15-9).
Next in was McBurney who trailed 4-1 at the end of the first round of his contest against Lisburn ABC’s Andy Hendy.
A left hook forced McBurney to take a count at the end of the second which ended with them level at 5-5.
The powerfully-built Hendy continued to stalk forward in the third which ended with the score 7-7.
McBurney’s superior skills came to the fore in the final round and he out-boxed Hendy to force an 11-9 win.
“I’ve been training flat out,” said the Co Down man.
“I had the fitness and I felt good in the last round.”

Confusion reigns on boxers’ admissions

The Ulster Intermediate Championships started at the Dockworkers social club last night but an entry criteria row rumbles on.
St John’s coach Frankie McCourt yesterday blasted Ulster officials for what he viewed as a lack of notification regarding the eligibility of senior boxers into the intermediate event.
“When was the ruling changed that if you boxed in the Ulster Seniors, you could still box in the Ulster Intermediates?” said McCourt.
“When were clubs in Ulster notified about this? I would also ask how did certain coaches even knew to enter their ‘senior’ boxers?
“I would have entered one of my own boxers in this tournament had I known about this development.”
But Ulster president Pat McCrory countered that permitting seniors into the event was “certainly within the rules.”
“As long as they’re not senior champions, they can enter, that’s in the rules, Dublin introduced that.
“About two years ago, they put the rule in and then they took out it out again at convention, then they drafted it back in again.
“That’s probably why there’s so much confusion over it.
“But in fact what they’re actually doing now in Dublin is putting out letters to every boxer who wants to be reinstated as an intermediate, guys who have boxed at senior level.”
St John’s coach McCourt points out that he would be in favour of seniors competing at intermediate level but takes exception to the lack of notification to all clubs.
“Dont get me wrong, personally I welcome the change,” he said.
“I had previously raised the possibility of this with some Ulster officials some months ago and was told it would need to go to congress.
“I’m very disappointed, as I’m sure are other coaches. The real disappointment, however, is for the boxers who have lost out, let down by their sport.
“Would it happen in a provincial championship in soccer, GAA or rugby? I think not!
“They would do the right thing and postpone the tournament at the weigh-in so that all its coaches and athletes were informed of the rules change.”
Ulster boss McCrory maintained no rules were broken in allowing seniors to enter and he had that confirmed by IABA in Dublin at the weekend.
“It’s certainly within the rules because it was checked with Dublin yesterday,” said the Glengormley clubman.
“We had three senior boxers who entered and so we checked up on it to be fully certain about who could enter and who couldn’t.
“Stephen Connolly, the IABA registrar, said we could enter seniors in the intermediates because it was in the rules.
“There’s nothing in the championship circular that says they can’t enter.
“But for future reference, there’s nothing to stop any Ulster senior boxer from entering the Ulster Intermediates providing he hasn’t won the seniors.
“And if you don’t win the Ulster Seniors, you can also box in the Irish Intermediates.”
The Patsy Quinn Ulster Intermediate Championships continue tonight and Thursday night, with the finals set for next Friday, November 14, all at the Dockworkers venue in Pilot Street, Belfast.