Rory handed big chance

RORY O’DONOGHUE (Watergrasshill BC) has been handed the opportunity of a lifetime ahead of tomorrow night’s visit of the NYPD boxing team to the Green Glens Arena in Millstreet with the news he has been chosen to replace national champion Adam Nolan (Bray) in the featured welterweight contest with Beijing Olympian John Joe Joyce (St. Michael’s, Athy).

Joyce was due to box Nolan on the top of the bill contest but Nolan, a Garda, was forced to withdraw. And when Dan Lane, Rylane BC, who promote the show in conjunction with the Garda BC, went looking for a suitable replacement O’Donoghue emerged top of the list.

O’Donoghue has yet to reproduce the form he showed in training at the Watergrasshill club where he works alongside three Cuban professionals Mike “The Rebel” Perez, Louis “The Lion” Garcia and Alexei Acosta Collada, from whom he is bound to have learned a trick or two.

O’Donoghue boxed this year’s senior championships and made the quarter finals of the box-off for the world championships where he lost to Shane Murtagh (Crumlin) who went on to make the finals. On Saturday he will be stepping down a weight division to meet John Joe Joyce. There will be added interest in the contest involving Roy Sheahan (St. Michael’s, Athy). He was scheduled to box a Scottish opponent but it is likely an English opponent will be named for him later today.

Nine boxers from the NYPD will arrive in Killarney tomorrow morning for the show which will include two female contests. Good news for local fans is that Seanie Barrett will come out of retirement to box for the Garda selection against Quinton Fortune. Daniel Lane, also returns to action. He has trimmed down to cruiserweight to take on Sam Carrigan.