Four intermediate titles for talented Galway fighters at National Stadium

GALWAY boxing was on a high last weekend after four of the county’s five fighters competing for titles at the national intermediate championships at the National Stadium secured gold medals last Friday.

First up was Galway’s sole female representative at the finals, Orla McInerney from Monivea Boxing Club. Competing in the 54kg women’s division, McInerney jumped into action at the opening bell, putting her opponent Emma Gallagher from Corpus Christy BC, Limerick under serious pressure.

The dominance of All-Ireland Novice champion McInerney, who had accounted for the Irish U-22 national champion Karen O’Sullivan of Rivertown BC, Cork in the semi-final, paid off when she forced her rival into a TKO in the third round to claim the first title of the night for Galway.

In the 31 years of Monivea Boxing Club, McInerney, a native of Kiltulla, became the first to win an Irish intermediate title while Friday’s victory brings the total of national title wins at Monivea BC to 25. It was proud night for her coach, Gus Farrell.

Next up for Galway was Pat Mongan from Olympic BC against Togher’s Colin Donovan from Cork in the 64kg men’s division. This was a battle of the fittest with Mongan proving his heart in standing toe to toe against Donovan for three rounds in taking the title.

In the end, it was Mongan’s punching accuracy which saw him add another accolade to his growing list of honours and this latest victory reinforces the great work being done by his coach Michael Mongan and the team at Olympic BC.

With Galway boxing on a roll, Corrib’s Noel McBride stepped into the ring in the men’s 67kg division against Dublin’s Sean Hunt. A native of Donegal, the Claregalway club fighter boxed very clever in picking off his opponent with his jab and it was more than enough.

McBride’s exhibition of boxing – and his elusive southpaw style – secured the championship with an unanimous decision to land a first ever Irish title for Corrib Boxing Club, much to the delight of club coaches Sean Cumiskey and Neville Moore.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.