It has been some year for Buncrana woman Caroline Gallagher – who last night added an Ulster boxing title to her list of honours for 2017.
Gallagher (pictured via Belfast Boxers) was a member of the Donegal senior ladies panel that won the Ulster senior championship in July with a win over Monaghan in Clones.
The all-rounder also played for Illies Celtic, who blitzed all around them to win the inaugural North West Women’s Super League. Gallagher also won an Ulster title in Illies’ colours, as they overcame Lagan Harps in the Ulster Cup final.
Last night at the Dockworkers Club in Belfast, Gallagher’s arm was raised in victory in the Ulster Female Novice 69kgs final.
Gallagher had the verdict of all five ringside judges in her bout with Lisburn’s Laura Smith.
The confidence Smith had Gallagher on the back foot in the early exchanges, but once Gallagher warmed to the task she turned in an impressive display of ring craft.
In front of a big Belfast crowd, Gallagher took a 30-27 decision for all three rounds to claim the title.
Roberta Gale from Churchlands defeated Daneka Doherty of Ballyshannon 4-0 in the Female Novice final at 64kgs.
And there was disappointment, too, for Twin Towns’ flyweight Ciara Anderson who was beaten by Cathleigh McGee form Loughshore in the Female Open 51kgs decider.
It is a big night tonight for six Donegal boxers in finals with Dennis Lafferty (Raphoe), Matthew McCole (Dungloe), Cathal Brown (Illies), Michael McConigley (Letterkenny), Danny Boyle (Dungloe) and Niall McConigley (Ballyshannon) all in action.
Last night, Brown was an impressive winner in the Ulster Senior semi-final.
The power-punching Illies man KO’d Lisburn’s Arthur Sterns in the opening round. Tonight, Brown meets Noel Donnelly from the Dockers, who defeated Letterkenny Oran Shields last night in the other 81kgs semi.
Michael McConigley also claimed a fine win last night, overcoming Patrick Dean McCabe of St John Bosco, Newry 5-0. McConigley meets Pearse McDonald in the heavyweight final tonight.
Raphoe bantamweight Lafferty will take on Clonard’s Conor Quinn in the senior final at 56kgs. Lafferty defeated Ben Nelson of Townland in his semi on Tuesday night.
McCole is gunning for glory at 64kgs when he faces Colm Trengove from Spartans.
In Novice finals tonight, Boyle takes on James McCormick from East Down at light-heavy while Niall McConigley is in against Stephen Cunningham (Mark Heagney BC) at heavyweight.
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