Dean Walsh
Twenty male and female titles were won on February 17 last at the flagship tournament of Irish boxing.
Five of the champions from last season, Joe Ward, Kellie Harrington, Grainne Walsh, Brendan Irvine and Kurt Walker, went on to win World and European medals in 2017.
All received awards at last weekend’s IABA Annual Awards Night at the Louis Fitzgerald Hotel in Dublin.
Meantime, the draw for the 2018 edition of the tournament will be held this morning and published here on www.iaba.ie this afternoon. Boxing begins Friday.
Wexford’s Dean Walsh, also a European Elite medallist who claimed the Best Boxer accolade at the Elite Championships 12 months ago, will be targeting another belt in the 69kg class.
This month’s Championships, the first of two editions of the tournament in 2018, are of particular significance for Ireland’s female boxers in the build up to the World Women’s Elite Championships in New Delhi in November.
On the last occasion that the tournament was held in New Delhi, Katie Taylor claimed Ireland’s first World Elite gold medal in 2006.
National Elite Championships National Stadium Dublin
February 17th
Finals
Best Boxer Award: Dean Walsh
48kg Kristina O’Hara (St John Bosco A) beat Shannon Sweeney (St Annes) 5-0
51kg Carly McNaul (Ormeau Road) W/O
56kg Kurt Walker (Canal) beat Stephen McKenna (Old School) 5-0
69kg Grainne Walsh (Spartacus) beat Gillian Duffy (Bray) TKO3
57kg Dervla Duffy (Mulhuddart) beat Moira McElligott (St Michaels Athy) 4-1
54kg Terry Mullarney (Ballyhaunis) W/O
81kg Leona Houlihan (Crumlin) beat Caroline Connolly (Mourne GG) TKO2
49kg Blaine Dobbins (St Josephs Derry) beat Darryl Moran (Illies GG) 3-2
81kg Joe Ward (Moate) beat Anthony Browne (St Michaels Dub) 4-1
60kg Kelly Harrington (Glasnevin) beat Shauna O’Keeffe (Clonmel) 4-1
60kg Patrick Mongan (Olympic) beat George Bates (St Marys Dublin) 3-2
64kg Ciara Ginty (Geesala) beat Emma Agnew (Dealgan) 5-0
64kg Sean McComb (Holy Trinity) beat Wayne Kelly (Ballynacargy) 5-0
52kg Brendan Irvine (St Pauls) beat Thomas McCarthy (Mayfield) 5-0
69kg Dean Walsh (St Ibars)beat Brett McGinty (Oakleaf) 5-0
75kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgans) W/O
75kg Emmett Brennan (Glasnevin) beat Stephen Broadhurst (Dealgan) 4-1`
91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown) beat Ken Okungbowa (Athlone) 5-0
91+kg Martin Keenan (Rathkeale) beat Thomas Carty (Glasnevin) 4-1
81+kg Maeve McCarron (Carrigart) W/O