McCullough and McMonagle crowned champs
During a weekend of mixed fortunes for Donegal boxers, 19 year-old Tyrone McCullough (Illies) and Cathal McMonagle (Letterkenny/Holy Trinity Belfast) were both crowned National Senior Champions.
In a chess-like match, McCullough out-foxed James Fryers (Immaculata/Belfast) to score a few good left hooks while keeping out of trouble, courtesy of some neat footwork. He was a 3:1 winner. His intelligent use of varied tactics throughout the competition, made him a worthy champion.
In the cliffhanging comeback of the championship, Super Heavyweight Cathal McMonagle, turned a 6:10 deficit with 90 seconds left, into an 11:10 win over Tommy Sheehan (Athy), the winning punch coming in the last 5 seconds.
There was bitter disappointment however, for Willie McLoughlin (Illies), who controversially lost his Welterweight title on a score of 12:9. In one of Friday nights' best bouts, he fought toe to toe in an exciting encounter with Olympic Bronze Medallist John Joe Joyce (Athy).
There were three very clear cases where scores had not been awarded to McLoughlin, who deserved at least a draw and the benefit of a count-back. Two of them which came in the last round, had rocked Joyce. "I was gone.... out on my feet", Joyce later confessed to the Inishowen man.
Finn Valley Middleweight, Jason Quigley found the crafty and very experienced Darren O'Neill (Paulstown/Kilkenny), a bridge too far, losing on a score of 6:1.
Despite a glittering youth career and a great run in the championship, we had unfairly come to expect too much of young Quigley who has been a senior for just two weeks. However, he is a senior champion in the making.
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Weather for Donegal
Saturday 04 February 2012
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