Stars progress at Stadium

8 February 2009 – By Mark Doyle

Middleweight duo Darren O’Neill and Eamon O’Kane will meet in the semi-finals of the 2009 National Elite Championships after both proved their mettle in tough last-eight encounters at the National Stadium on Saturday evening.

Paulstown’s O’Neill was given more than a few uncomfortable moments in his 12-5 victory over John Joe McDonagh of Brosna, while O’Kane was forced to dig extremely deep in his clash with Luke Keeler, the Immaculata man coming from a point down with a minute to go to seal a dramatic 13-11 victory.

David Joyce and Stephen O’Reilly will meet in the other 75kg semi-final after they registered impressive wins over Andra Soldra and Michael Collins respectively.

Meanwhile, in the heavyweight division, reigning champion Con Sheehan is safely through to the last four after a commanding 17-1 victory over Declan Traynor.

Elsewhere, Jimmy Sweeney was given a walkover by Patrick Corcoran, John Sweeney routed Philip Kearns 25-1, while Hughie Joyce was forced to retire at the end of the third round in his bout with Alan Reynolds.

In the evening session’s two other bouts, 2008 AIBA World Youth light-heavyweight bronze medalist and Seniors debutant Thomas McCarthy claimed an impressive 16-2 victory over Thomas Roohan, while Moate’s David Joyce progressed after his opponent, Crumlin’s Gareth Smith, retired through injury in the second of their super-heavyweight contest.

Earlier in the day, meanwhile, Beijing Olympian John Joe Joyce cruised through to the last four of the light-welterweight division with a 22-5 win over Patrick Ward.

Joining him in the semi-finals will be Michael McLoughlin, Jamie Kavanagh and Philip Sutcliffe, all of whom registered victories on Saturday.

World Junior lightweight champion Ray Moylette impressed in his 12-2 victory over Robert Gorman. There was also a win for Ciaran Bates at 60kg, the St. Mary’s boxer edging out Eamon Toughy of Athlone 9-8.

Welterweight star Roy Sheahan progressed by defeating Jamie Dowling 16-3. Joining him in the last four will be Fergal Redmond, Cathal McAuley and Willie McLoughlin.

Kevin Fennessy, Carl Frampton and Dermot Lawlor all won through at featherweight, Danny Coughlan outclassed Richie Sweetman at bantamweight, while Ruairi Dalton proved too strong for Jamie Conlon at flyweight.

2009 Elite National Senior Championships Results

Quarter Final Results February 7th (evening session)

75kg: David Joyce (St Michael’s Athy) beat Andra Soldra (Sacre Couer) 15-5 75kg: Michael Collins (Darndale) lost to Stephen O’Reilly (Twin Towns) 6-19 75kg: Darren O’Neill (Paulstown) beat John Joe Mcdonagh (Brosna) 12-5 75kg: Luke Keeler (St Matthews) lost to Eamon O’Kane (Immaculata) 11-13 81kg: Thomas Roohan (St Josephs Sligo) lost to Thomas McCarthy (Oliver Plunkett) (2-16) 91kg: Con Sheehan (Clonmel) beat Declan Traynor (St Bronaghs) 17-1 91kg: Jimmy Sweeney (Drimnagh) beat Patrick Corcoran (Galway) W/O 91kg: Alan Reynolds (St Josephs Sligo) beat Hughie Joyce (St Michael’s Athy) RET3 91kg: John Sweeney (Dungloe) beat Philip Kearns (Golden Cobra) 25-1 91+kg: David Joyce (Moate) beat Gareth Smith (Crumlin) RSCI2 Quarter Final Results February 7th (afternoon session) 51kg: Jamie Conlon (St John Bosco) lost to Ruairi Dalton (St Johns) 6-18 54kg: Richie Sweetman (Blessington) lost to Danny Coughlan (St Anne’s) 4-19 57kg: Dermot Lawlor (Carlow) beat Michael Myers (Ryston) 13-11 57kg: Carl Frampton (Midland) beat Tyrone McKenna (Oliver Plunkett) 14-5 57kg: Sean Kilroy (Holy Family Drogheda) lost to Kevin Fennessy (Clonmel) 4-9 60kg: Ciaran Bates (St Marys Dublin) beat Eamon Touhy (Athlone) 9-8 60kg: Raymond Moylette (St Anne’s) beat Robert Gorman (Bracken) 12-2 64kg: John Joe Joyce (St Michaels Athy) beat Patrick Ward (Olympic) 22-5 64kg: Michael McLoughlin (Carndonagh) beat James McDonagh (Dockers) 13-1 64kg: Jamie Kavanagh (Crumlin) beat Stephen Donnelly (All Saints) 21-4 64kg: Niall McGinley (Bishop Kelly) lost Philip Sutcliffe (Crumlin) RSC1 69kg: Willie McLoughlin (Illies Golden Gloves) beat Thomas Blaney (Westside) 20-2 69kg: Roy Sheahan (St Michaels Athy) beat Jamie Dowling (Paulstown) 16-3 69kg: David Walsh (St Johns) lost to Fergal Redmond (Arklow) 8-9 69kg: Cathal McAuley (Dungloe) beat Mark McNamara (St Francis) 12-5 Preliminary Round Results February 6th 64Kg: Patrick J Ward (Olympic) beat Niall Murray (Gorey) 7-7 c/b 17-16 64Kg: Niall McGinley (Bishop Kelly) beat Paul Barbour (Dromore) RSC2 69Kg: Jamie Dowling (Paulstown) beat Ronan Brennan (Dealgan) RSC3 69Kg: Noel Sommers (St Matthews) lost to David Walsh (St Johns) RET3 69Kg: Fergal Redmond (Arklow) beat Shane Murtagh (Crumlin) 9-8 69Kg: Sean Hunt (St Matthews) lost to Cathal McAuley (Dealgan) RSC2 69Kg: Zilvinis Buyaliskis (Arklow) lost to Mark McNamara ( St Francis) 4-8 75Kg: Brian Brosnan (Olympic) lost to Stephen O’Reilly (Twintowns) 6-8 75Kg: Edward Healy (Portlaoise) lost to Darren O’Neill (Paulstown) 3-19 75Kg: Mark Carlyle (Crumlin) lost to JJ McDonagh (Brosna) 6-12 75Kg: Luke Keeler (St Matthews) beat Sean Shevlin (Dealgan) RSC1 91Kg: Declan Traynor (St Bronaghs) beat Michael Mullaney (Claremorris) RSC3 91Kg: Sean Crudden (Enniskillen) lost to Jimmy Sweeney (Drimnagh) RSC2 91Kg: Patrick Corcoran (Galway) beat Patrick Coyle (Geesala) RSC1 91Kg: Alan Reynolds (St Josephs) beat William Byrne (Knocknaghosel) 11-2 91Kg: Antoine O’Griofa (Conamara) lost to Hughie Joyce (St Michael’s Athy) 7-25 91Kg: Niall Kennedy (Gorey) lost to John Sweeney (Dungloe) 5-21 91Kg: Philip Kearns (Golden Cobra) beat Michael McDonagh (Olympic) 7-7 c/b 18-17