SIX weeks from the most important event of the year, Billy Walsh was sitting in the high performance unit on the South Circular Road in Dublin with not one of his boxers in sight.

ROSS HICKEY, who won a national senior title at lightweight back in 2008, launched his campaign at light-welter at last night’s national elite championships at the National Stadium with victory over Crumlin’s Stephen Carroll.

KENNETH EGAN is within one victory of a spectacular ninth successive national senior title following last night’s comprehensive defeat of Denis Hogan (Grangecon) in the first light heavyweight semi-final at the National Stadium.

SHOCKED, devastated, gutted, fearful about the future — the reactions of workers at Cappoquin Chickens after the cloud that hung over the plant all summer finally burst yesterday afternoon.