Egan gloves up for National Stadium showdown

KENNETH EGAN (Neilstown), gold medallist at the recent Tammer Tournament in Tampere, Finland, will be back in action at The National Stadium tonight when Ireland entertain Holland in a contest that will cater for schoolboys, cadets and juniors as well as seniors.

Fri, 12 Nov, 2004 - 00:00

Brendan Mooney

Egan, reigning light heavyweight champion and holder of several middleweight titles up to the time that the weights were changed and Andy Lee moved in to dominate the division, is the most experienced boxer on the international squad.

He played a major role in Andy Lee’s Olympic preparations having just missed out on qualification himself but he was the star of the big tournament in Finland - one of the oldest tournaments on the calendar.

He was named best boxer on the opening night when he stopped Zaval Njack from the Ukraine, enjoyed another short route victory over Jason Douglas from Canada and then fought out an exciting final with an old rival, Babcar Kamara from Sweden that went to a countback and earned him the Best Boxer of the Tournament award.

Tonight he will be rejoined by Eamon O’Kane from the St Canices Club in Derry who won a bronze medal in Tampere, which was his first major assignment and he will be one of two welterweights in action along with Darren Sutherland (St Saviours OBA).

Roy Sheahan (St Michael’s Athy) returns to the international arena while J J McDonagh (Brosna) makes his debut at this level.

And there are three exciting prospects on the bill, juniors John Joe Joyce (St Michael’s, athy), Jimmy Sweeney (Drimnagh) and David Joyce (Moate).

IRISH TEAM: SCHOOLBOY 37kg: Declan Geraghty (Inner City); Cadet 60kg: Seamus Murphy (Sacred Heart Newry); Juniors: 57kg: John Joe Joyce (St Michael’s Athy); 69kg: Jimmy Sweeney (Drimnagh); 75kg: David Joyce (Moate).

SENIORS: 60kg: J J McDonagh (Brosna); 69kg: Roy Sheahan (St Michael’s Athy); 75kg: Eamon O’Kane (St Canices) and Darren Sutherland (St. Saviours OBA); 81kg: Kenneth Egan (Neilstown); Super Heavy: Cathal McMonagle (Holy Trinity). Team Manager: Jim Smyth.