‘It Wasn’t an Easy Fight’ – Delighted Donoghue Discusses Latest Irish Title Win

Shakira Donoghue admits she really had to earn her latest Irish title.

The Templemore fighter claimed her sixth national crown when she defeated Leah O’Keeffe of Kanturk at the National Stadium last month.

Considering she is a serial domestic winner, the reigning champ was always deemed favourite to emerge victorious from the fight – but was keen to point out the win and National Youth Championship honours weren’t made any easier by her past successes.

Speaking to Irish-boxing.com after one of the fights of finals day she said: “It was a toe to toe fight. It wasn’t an easy fight and I have to give credit where it’s due, she is a good boxer. She put up a good contest, I didn’t get it easy but I just got the win in the end.”

The win secured the top Tipp teen talent’s second Youth title of the year and should see her represent Ireland on the International stage for the second time. Donoghue reached the quarter-finals of the European Youth Championships in Sofia this Spring and hopes to go one step further at the very least if she is selected for the World Championships set for Spain and November.

“That was an experience of a lifetime,” she says reflecting positively on her Continental experience.

“It was a dream to go out and represent my country and to go again for the Worlds, that’s even better. Performance wise out there, I got the first win against a Polish girl, a stoppage in the second round, I was happy with that performance. I came back into the quarter-final against a girl from Turkey, a very good girl, but I didn’t perform the way I should have performed. I felt a bit tired before I went into the ring,” she adds before revealing she wouldn’t mind a revenge mission later this year.

“I’ll get her again eventually.”