Clinical Egan targets Olympics destroys Mitchell

KENNETH EGAN took just 22 seconds to claim his seventh successive national senior title — his fifth at light heavyweight — and he immediately turned his attentions to qualification for next year’s Olympic Games after overwhelming Willie Mitchell in what was the mismatch of the night at the national senior championship finals at the National Stadium last night.

On a night when Darren Sutherland, back from eight months of injury, underscored his remarkable return with a third round demolition of teak tough Derry man, Eamon O’Kane, and David Oliver Joyce claimed the featherweight title held by his clubmate, Eric Donovan, Egan was never going to take any risks.

A couple of solid shots to the head, a two fisted combination and referee Larry Durand stepped to give the Tyrone man a standing count. Another combination and Mitchell spat out his gum shield.

The referee rushed to his defence and waved him to the corner.

‘‘The business was there to be done. I knew I could take him out and that’s exactly what I did,’’ Egan said. ‘‘He came out for the first round and he did not really want to know and I did not want to hang around.

‘‘I’d like if it was more competitive. I was hoping for a quarter final, semi-final and then a final but we don’t have enough boxers with boxers moving up and moving down. It is ridiculous, Irish boxing needs something to pull it out of the run and, hopefully, we can do that by qualifying for the Olympics Games.’’

Darren Sutherland had Eamon O’Kane in his face from the opening bell and insisted afterwards that was just how he wanted it.

‘‘With all due respect to him, he made an easy target,’’ he said. ‘‘I could pick him off quite easily with my jab and then when I sensed I had him hurt I went for it. That’s how I do it.’’

That was in the third round. Sutherland was 9-3 in front going in and he scored with some combinations early on. Then he caught O’Kane with a crushing bodyblow and he dropped to one knee and took the count willingly from referee Ferdie Whelan. Another count from a flurry of punches and then a third from a big shot to the head and the referee stopped the contest.

Ryan Lindberg (Immaculata, Belfast) claimed the bantamweight title in a desperately close contest with Kevin Fennessy (Clonmel) that would have gone to a countback were it not for the fact that Fennessy got a public warning for use of his head in the fourth round.

Fennessy, putting the combinations together, won the opening round 4-2, lost the second 5-4 but came back to draw the third and was still leading by a single point going in the fourth.

He had already been cautioned a couple of times for holding and use of the head and it was only when he got a public warning that the Clonmel man fell behind and lost the contest 19-18.

But had gone to a countback Lindberg would have won by four hits.

Defending champion, Roy Sheahan, tightened his grip on the welterweight title with a 12-5 win over his St. Michael’s ABC clubmate, David Joyce in a repeat of last year’s final.

Sheahan kept Joyce at the end of an accurate jab to win the first round 2-1, the second 4-1 and the third 2-1 and revealed afterwards that the reason he did not use his right hand was due to the fact that he is due to go into hospital on Wednesday for surgery on it.

‘‘The plan was to keep him at the end of the jab,’’ he said. ‘‘My jab was pretty accurate but that was because I have been using it all along in training.’’

The outstanding contest of the night was at featherweight where last year’s bantamweight champion, David Oliver Joyce, stepped up a division to strip his St. Michael’s clubmate, Eric Donovan, of the title.

Joyce won the first round 4-2 and never looked back, going into the final round leading 21-11, before eventually winning 30-15.

‘‘It felt much closer. We were both throwing a lot of punches and I felt there were a lot of them getting through. But I knew I would finish strong and that is how it was,’’ Joyce said.

Donovan said: ‘‘I have to hand it to David Oliver, he was the better man on the night and he deserves that title.’’

Meanwhile, Katie Taylor, on her first appearance in the National Stadium since winning her world lightweight title, beat Eva Walstrom 20-4 in an exhibition contest.

Bantamweight: Ryan Lindberg (Immaculata, Belfast) beat Kevin Joseph Fennessy (Clonmel) 19-18.

Featherweight: David Oliver Joyce (St. Michael’s, Athy) beat Eric Donovan (St. Michael’s, Athy) 30-13.

Welterweight: Roy Sheahan (St. Michael’s, Athy) beat David Joyce (St. Michael’s, Athy) 12-5.

Middleweight: Darren Sutherland (St. Saviours Olympic Boxing Academy) beat Eamon O’Kane (Immalculata) RSC. Rd. 3.

Light Heavyweight: Kenneth Egan (Neilstown, Dublin) beat Willie Mitchell (Dromore, Tyrone) RSC Rd. 1.

Special Contest: Katie Taylor (Ireland) beat Eva Walstrom (Finland) 20-4.