Seconds out for week-long feast of boxing action

RYLANE boxing club will kick off a big week for Munster boxing with a 16-bout tournament at the Wallace Arms Hotel in Millstreet on Friday night while Ballybunion will host some of the world’s best boxers next week for Ireland’s second-ever multi-nations tournament.

Rylane will have a peripheral involvement in that boxing extravaganza because their Olympic-size ring will be used for the Ballybunion showpiece while their other ring will be used for the Millstreet Tournament - their first promotion of the new season although they have already been involved in some major tournaments this year including the Garda v the NYPD show at the Rochestown Park Hotel.

Interest and enthusiasm is at a new high in the club where membership is at a record level.

“We are now in the happy position where we could send out a full boxing team - covering all the weights from light fly to super heavy - right now,” club coach Dan Lane said.

The intermediate championships have been one of their big targets since the club was formed 27 years ago and they got off to a flying start at the weekend when they took two titles away from the Munster intermediate championships. Patrick Coleman won the super heavyweight title.

Their other title winner, Donal Óg O’Leary had a first round victory over JJ O’Connell (St Colman’s) and then beat Niall Healy (Bantry) 27-7 for the middleweight title.

On Friday night he will step up in class to meet the All-Army champion, Emmet Walsh (Dungarvan), in one of the bill-toppers. David Barrett, a Munster intermediate champion last year and a beaten finalist at the nationals, will box Nicky Barry (Leeside/Lough). His older brother, Stephen, another Munster champion from last year, will box Bantry light middleweight Niall Healy.

Tom Murray created a stir last year when he returned at heavyweight and made it through to the semi-finals of the national senior championships. He is set to make his seasonal debut on Friday night against Ned McDonagh (Ennis) while in a junior heavyweight contest, Christopher Savage (Rylane) will meet David O’Neill (Leeside).

There will also be two light welterweight contests, Gordon Ryan against Jeff O’Mahony (Leeside) and Olan Byrne against Leo Simms (Dungarvan).

Rylane’s current Irish champion, Gerard Cullinane, will meet Mick Callach (St. Coleman’s) in what should be a thriller while at 57 kgs, Stephen Dowdall will box John Murphy (Sunnyside), at 64 kgs, Dean Desmond, a youth 1, will meet John O’Sullivan (Sunnyside) and at 57 kgs, youth 2, Shane Cronin will box G. O’Sullivan (Macroom).

At 42 kgs, Pat Fitzgibbon will box Daragh O’Mahony (Leeside), at 29 kgs young Owen Dennehy will box Richard Walsh (Dungarvan). Owen’s father, Donal, was the first boxer ever trained by Dan Lane.

Middleweight Christopher Fitzgerald, will box John O’Connell (St. Colman’s) and at light heavy, John Murray will meet Emmet Walsh (Dungarvan).