City boxers chase three titles

Date Published: 30-Oct-2009

CITY boxer Patrick Corcoran is aiming for a sensational third Irish U-21 title in succession when he takes on Dublin rival Kiril Afanasev in the heavyweight (91kg) final at the National Stadium in Dublin this evening.

Corcoran (Galway BC) is one of three Galway fighters in action at tonight’s finals, along with Brian Brosnan (71kg) and Patrick Ward (67kg) of the Olympic Boxing Club.

The treble chasing 20-year old from the Headford Road admitted this week that he knows little about Afanasev, who fights out of the Smithfield club on Dublin’s Northside.

“I don’t really know too much about him, other than that he’s tall and fairly rangy,” said Corcoran. “I got injured in the final this time last year and had to take six or seven months out, but I’m feeling good at the moment and I had no problem making the weight.”

A hand injury sustained in last year’s decider against Martin Stokes (Letterkenny BC) was aggravated in the senior championships last January, despite a win over the English U-21 champion last December and Corcoran decided to take a long break from the game.

The 2008 Galway Sports Star has recovered well on time to aim for a shot at the three-in-a-row under the watchful eye of coaches Patrick Senior and Gay Farrell. Corcoran, who received a bye in the semi-finals, will start as favourite in what is his last underage bout before concentrating solely on the senior ranks.

Tonight’s fight against Stephen Carroll (Crumlin BC) will be Patrick Ward’s first national final at the 67kg weight division. Ward has previously contested five underage Irish finals, winning one, and is very hopeful of making his mark at the U21 grade.

Ward competed in the Irish Senior Championships last February, winning his first round contest. He was highly impressive in his semi-final last Friday evening, defeating Athy’s John Joe Joyce, younger brother of EU champion David Oliver, 11-0.

Brosnan, meanwhile, is going for his third Irish title, having won U-21 and Intermediate titles in 2007, when he was the Galway Sports Star of the Year for boxing.

The Knocknacarra man was in devastating form in the early rounds of the championships, having a first round stoppage over Athlone’s Neal Rattigan in the quarter-finals, and following that up with a victory over JP Delaney of Immaculta BC, Belfast.

For more see page 51 of this week’s City