Donegal’s finest will take on a top Boston Academy team at the Clanree Hotel in Letterkenny on Thursday night.
The meeting bridges a 43 year gap as the last time an American fought in Donegal was in 1973 at The Plaza in Buncrana.
The 11-strong Donegal team is made up of Bernie McDonagh, Dunfanaghy BC; Hugh Doherty, St Bridget’s BC, Clonmany; Matthew McCole, Dungloe BC; Dean Doherty, Carndonagh BC; Brian Elliott, Illies Golden Gloves; John Ward, Letterkenny BC; Donna Barr, Twin Towns BC; Oran Shields, Letterkenny BC; Lee Boyd, Convoy BC; Mark McCole, Dungloe BC.
Buncrana-native Mark Porter, who now lives in Boston, is the link, Peter O’Donnell, President of the Donegal Board, told the Donegal Democrat.
“It promises to be a great night of boxing,” said O’Donnell.
“We are delighted to be hosting the boxers and their coaches and officials from the Boston Academy. It is over 40 years since we last hosted boxers from Boston in 1973.
“Mark Porter from Buncrana, who lives in Boston, is the link and has helped organise the trip. All the boxers coming over are from the Boston Academy so we are expecting some class boxers on the Boston team.
“But we have selected a very strong Donegal side with a number of national champions and we are expecting 11 high quality fights and a night to remember for Donegal boxing.”
The six supporting bouts on the card also have a number of potentially high octane bouts. Daryl Moran, Illies Golden Gloves, will go toe-to-toe with Terry McEntee from Old School BC, Monaghan, at Elite, 52 kgs and Cillian Boyce, Letterkenny BC and Denis Lafferty, Raphoe BC meet in an Intermediate bout at 64 kgs.
Also in the Intermediate class, David Tennyson, Dungloe, faces Gary Cannon, Carrigart BC; Cathal Gallagher, Twin Towns, faces Paddy McGee, Carrickmore BC and Garbhan Friel, Illies Golden Gloves faces Conal Deeney, also Carrickmore.
Raphoe Intermediate Orin McDermott will also feature against an, as yet, to be named opponent.
The event is being sponsored by Donegal County Council with support from the Donegal Sports Partnership and the Donegal Travellers Project. First bell is 8 pm sharp.
MATCH UPS
The match ups, Donegal boxers named first:
Boy 1, 37 kgs – Bernie McDonagh v Bubba Shelton
Boy 4, 60 kgs – Hugh Doherty v Brendan Crowley
Female, 60 kgs – Labhaoise Clarke v Amanda Gurekki
Junior, 60kgs – Matthew McCole v Michael Hann
Junior, 67 kgs – Dean Doherty v Geo Lorenzo
Youth 2, 75 kgs – Brian Elliott v Tom Hadden
Youth 2, 75 kgs – John Ward v Paul Hadden
Female, 54 kgs – Donna Barr v Amanda Pavone
Intermediate, 75 kgs – Oran Shields v Christian Callaghan
Intermediate, 69 kgs – Lee Boyd v Zack Deluca
Intermediate, 69 kgs – Mark McCole, Dungloe v James Parella