Barnes takes seventh national title in clinical fashion

It was national title number seven for Belfast's Paddy Barnes as he scored a unanimous decision over Hughie Myers at the Men's Elite Boxing Championships in Dublin.

It was national title number seven for Belfast's Paddy Barnes as he scored a unanimous decision over Hughie Myers at the Men's National Elite Boxing Championships in Dublin.

Barnes, the two-time Olympic bronze medallist, defeated Myers in what was a rematch of the 2012 final, a bout in which Barnes admittedly underestimated the Mullingar native.

Illness prevented Barnes from taking part in last year's National Championships when Myers claimed his first senior crown, but tonight's light flyweight contest at the National Stadium was won by the northerner in clinical fashion.

There was a flood of punches in an all-action first round and both fighters maintained that searing pace, with Barnes' greater experience and work-rate proving decisive in the end as his cleaner strikes helped him reclaim his 'Lord of the Flys' crown.

"I'm the fittest fighter in Ireland if not the world. Three rounds is nothing," he insisted afterwards.

Another Belfast fighter, Michael Conlan, made the move up to bantanweight from the 52kg division and successfully overcame Tyrone McCullagh to win his fourth national title in-a-row.

Conlan is currently ranked number 2 in the world at the 56kg weight and like Barnes, will be hoping to take that medal-winning form into this summer's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Prodigious talent Joe Ward, who is now ranked ninth in the world, had a successful defence of his light heavyweight title against St. Francis, Limerick fighter Matthew Tinkler.

Moate ace Ward was another 3-0 winner on the night as he racked up his fourth consecutive title at this level, all at the tender age of 20. Tinker, making his Elite Championships debut, was given a standing count in the second round.

Two of Ireland's most recent Olympians, Darren O'Neill and Adam Nolan, lost their respective finals to Portlaoise's Steven O'Reilly and Ballymena fighter Stephen Donnelly.

Middleweight O'Neill suffered his fourth defeat in his eighth appearance in a national final, losing a split decision (86-85) to O'Reilly who admitted afterwards: "It was a privilege to even be in the ring with Darren O'Neill. I had half of Portlaoise in here tonight encouraging me. I'm delighted with the win."

The 20-year-old O'Reilly looks to have a bright future in the ring as he takes over the middleweight title vacated by reigning champion Jason Quigley who did not enter the 2014 Championships.

Welterweight Donnelly made it back-to-back victories over Olympians by adding the scalp of Nolan to that of John Joe Joyce from the semi-final stage.

The Ulsterman beat three-time winner Nolan on a split decision, sparking wild celebrations amid the All Saints camp, and was also a deserving winner of the night's Best Boxer award.

Meanwhile, defending champion Sean McComb lost his lightweight crown to David Oliver Joyce, the winner of four consecutive titles between 2005 and 2008. St. Michael's, Athy fighter Joyce had McComb on the ropes in the secound round and went on to finish the right side of a split decision.

Chris Phelan from Ryston Boxing Club and the Defence Forces won his first senior belt at the fourth time of asking after earning a unanimous decision over Adam Courtney at flyweight.

Dean Walsh, who has his dad Donal, his uncle and Irish head coach, Billy Walsh, and Nicky Kane working his corner tonight, beat Michael Nevin on a split decision to claim the vacant light welterweight title.

In the heavyweight decider, Gary Sweeney from Olympic Boxing Club sent Stephen Ward - the 2010 Commonwealth Games silver medallist - to the canvas in the first round with a big right. Ward recovered well but Sweeney got the nod on a split decision, at the end of an absorbing and hard-hitting contest.

Con Sheehan, who has never been beaten at the Elite Championships, beat his Clonmel club-mate Dean Gardener on a unanimous decision to secure his sixth Irish senior title in the final bout of the night.

Liam Walsh, father of renowned boxing coach Billy Walsh and one of the great stalwarts of Irish boxing, received a sustained standing ovation from the National Stadium crowd when he accepted a presentation for his services to the sport from IABA President Tommy Murphy.

NATIONAL ELITE BOXING CHAMPIONSHIPS:

RESULTS OF MEN'S FINALS -

49kg: Paddy Barnes (Holy Family) beat Hughie Myers (Ryston) 3-0

56kg: Michael Conlan (St John Bosco) beat Tyrone McCullagh (Holy Family) 3-0

60kg: David Oliver Joyce (St Michael's Athy) beat Sean McComb (Holy Trinity) 2-1

69kg: Steven Donnelly (All Saints) beat Adam Nolan (Bray) 2-1

75kg: Michael O'Reilly (Portlaoise) beat Darren O'Neill (Paulstown) 2-1

81kg: Joe Ward (Moate) beat Matthew Tinker (St Francis) 3-0

52kg: Chris Phelan (Ryston/Defence Forces) beat Aadm Courtney (St. Mary's) 3-0

64kg: Dean Walsh (St. Joseph's/St. Ibar's) beat Michael Nevin (Portlaoise) 3-0

91kg: Gary Sweeney (Olympic) beat Steven Ward (Monkstown, Antrim) 2-1

91+kg: Con Sheehan (Clonmel) beat Dean Gardiner (Clonmel) 3-0