Controversy as Egan overcomes McCarthy

KENNY EGAN took a major step towards the world championships and, ultimately, next year’s London Olympics when he outpointed Tommy McCarthy (Oliver Plunkett BC) in a heavyweight semi-final that had its share of controversy at last night’s box-offs at the National Stadium.

The controversy surrounded a third-round knock-down when McCarthy caught the Olympic silver medallist with a big right uppercut that put him on one knee.

Referee Al Morris administered the mandatory standing count but then he stopped the fight again to tend to what appeared to be a problem with the Belfast man’s glove.

“There was absolutely nothing wrong with my glove,” a furious McCarthy said afterwards. “I don’t what’s going on. I had him down. He got a count. The referee gave him a 30 count — more or less. Then he got up and he’s standing there for a good half a minute. I’m furious. There was nothing wrong with my glove. I looked at it. It was just a bit of a thread. It gave him time to recover. Fair play to him he did. I thought I had him.”

“I went asleep a little bit in the third round,” Egan admitted. “He came on strong fair play to him. It was a good shot but I’m in great shape. We are trained to take them shots. He caught me with one or two good shots. But I kept the lead. Once I got the lead in the first round that was the important thing, no matter if it’s in the National Stadium or an Olympic final.”

The stoppage to adjust the glove came at a critical time. Egan, who won the earlier rounds had been reeling from a solid right uppercut. He had won the earlier rounds 5-2 and 4-1 to build up a healthy lead but it appeared for just a brief moment as if he was about to go down.

He went down on one knee but came up to take the count with McCarthy anxious to get on with the job. The problem with the glove gave Egan an extended break and time to get himself together again.

In today’s final he will meet Stephen Ward (Monkstown, Antrim) who outpointed Jimmy Sweeney (Drimnagh) 12-6 in the other semi-final.

Con Sheehan (Clonmel) underscored his move up to super heavyweight with an emphatic 21-7 victory over the reigning champion, Cathal McMonagle (Holy Trinity.

David Oliver Joyce almost quit boxing after he was disqualified in the finals of this year’s championships but yesterday he took a big step towards another world championships with a count-back decision over his St. Michael’s, Athy, clubmate, Eric Donovan, in a lightweight thriller that was the highlight of the tournament to date.

After two meetings it was always going to be close but few could have imagined how close — 16-16 after three action packed rounds and 91-88 on countback . St. Michael’s boxer, Roy Sheahan, who beat another clubmate, John Joe Joyce, in the quarter finals, returned to his old attacking style to defeat the national senior champion, Adam Nolan (Bray), 20-11, and now meets Portlaoise teenager, Michael O’Reilly who defeated Karl Brabazon (St. Saviours OBA) 26-9.

Patrick O’Shea (Sunnyside), world military silver medallist, beat Danny O’Brien (St. Luke’s) 13-11 for a place in today’s light heavyweight final against former world junior bronze medallist, Davy Joe Joyce.

World Championship Box-Off at the National Stadium; Semi-Finals Flyweight: M. Conlon (St John Bosco) beat D. Geraghty (Crumlin) 15-11; R. Dalton (Holy Trinity) beat C. Phelan (Ryston) 13-12.

Bantamweight: D. Coughlan (St Anne’s) beat M. Stephens (Drimnagh) 7-5; T. McCullagh (Holy Family GG) beat G. Murray (St Saviours OBA) 8-3.

Lightweight: M. O’Hara (Holy Trinity) beat A. Upton (Holy Family GG) 16-9; D. O. Joyce (St. Michael’s Athy) beat E. Donovan (St. Michael’s, Athy) Count Back 91-88 (16-16).

Light Welter: R. Hickey (Grangecon) beat S. Carroll (Drimnagh) 23-6; S. Upton (Holy Family GG) beat P. Sutcliffe (Crumlin) 14-12.

Welterweight: R. Sheahan (St. Michael’s, Athy) beat A. Nolan (Bray) 20-11; M. O’Reilly (Portlaoise) beat K. Brabazon (St. Saviours OBA) 26-9.

Middleweight: S. O’Reilly (Twintowns) beat S. Murtagh (Crumlin) 18-11; J. Quigley (Finn Valley) beat C. Cummings (Holy Trinity) 13-9.

Light Heavyweight: P. O’Shea (Sunnyside) beat D. O’Brien (St Lukes) 13-11.

Heavyweight: S. Ward (Monkstown, Antrim) beat J. Sweeney (Drimnagh) 12-6; K. Egan (Neilstown) beat T. McCarthy (Oliver Plunkett) 10-6; Super Heavyweight: C. Sheehan (Clonmel) beat C. McMonagle (Holy Trinity) 21-7; S. Turner (Drimnagh) beat K. Okungbowa (Athlone) Rsc. Rd. 2.

Youth Box-Off for European championships Middleweight: S. Broadhurst (Dealgan) beat Eddie Byrne (Wexford CBS) 12-10.