DONEGAL’S sweet scientists gathered in knock out numbers on Saturday night for the Donegal Boxing Board Awards function.
The Station House Hotel in Letterkenny was the stage on the night with Donegal professional Jason Quigley and former European lightweight champion Charlie Nash in attendance as special guests.
Raphoe ABC was named as the club of the year, receiving the Jimmy Murphy Cup following a stellar season.
During the past season, Raphoe puncher Leah Gallen won her second European bronze medal and collected two Irish titles.
Gallen, who is now a five-time Irish champion, won bronze at the European Youths in Bulgaria.
Carleigh Irving of Illies Golden Gloves, who won a bronze at the European Schoolgirl Championships, was named as the Best Female Boxer, while Convoy’s Bryan McNamee took the Best Elite Boxer accolade.
It was a big night for the Duffy family from the Illies Golden Gloves.
Coach Eamon Duffy was inducted into the Hall of Fame while his wife Sadie – a noted referee and judge – was honoured with an International Award having officiated at such Championships as the AIBA Youth and Junior Girls and the EUBC Elite Women’s.
Letterkenny’s Malachy Price was also inducted into the Hall of Fame while Dominic McCafferty (Convoy) and Gary McCullagh (Raphoe) were given appreciation awards.
MC on the night was Buncrana’s PJ Halloran, a former Ulster Boxing Council Vice-President, with the President of the Ulster Boxing Council, Kevin Duffy, among the capacity crowd.
AWARD WINNERS
Jimmy Murphy Cup Best Overall Club – Raphoe ABC
Harry Kid Duffy Best Elite Boxer – Bryan McName (Convoy)
John McLaughlin Best Senior Boxer – Cathal Brown (Illies Golden Gloves)
Jim White Memorial Most Improved Boxer – Bernie McDonagh (Dunfanaghy)
Billy Spider Kelly Best Youth Boxer – Leah Gallen (Raphoe)
Johnny McDaid Best Female Boxer – Carleigh Irving (Illies Golden Gloves)
Dr Denis McLaughlin Best Junior Boxer – Benda Collins (Dunree)
Michael Bonner Best Juvenile Boxer – Rory McDaid (Illies Golden Gloves)
Hall of Fame – Malachy Price (Letterkenny); Eamon Duffy (Illies Golden Gloves)
International Award: Sadie Duffy (Illies Golden Gloves) – AIBA Youth and Junior Girls in India; Asian Elite Men’s Championships in Thailand; Road and Belt Tournament in China; Asian Schoolboy Championships in Kuwait; EUBC Elite Women’s Championships in Spain.
National Champions: Rory McDaid (Illies Golden Gloves) – National Boy 2 35kg, Ulster champion, Boy 2 35kg gold at Portugal Box Cup; Carleigh Irving (Illies Golden Gloves) – European bronze medal EUBC Schoolgirl Championships, 46kg National Cadet champion, 47kg National Schoolgirl champion, Ulster champion, 9 county champion; Anthony Doohan (Dunfanaghy) – National Schoolboy champion, Ulster champion; Bernie McDonagh (Dunfanaghy) – National Schoolboy champion, Ulster champion, Ireland v Germany at National Stadium; Brenda Collins (Dunree) – National Schoolgirl champion, Ulster champion, 9 county champion; Kieran McCole (Dungloe) – National University champion; Leah Gallen (Raphoe) – European Youth bronze medal, National Cadet champion, National Youth champion, Ulster champion, Ireland v France in France, Ireland v England in England; Bryan McNamee (Convoy); Danny Boyle (Dungloe) – National University champion.
Appreciation Awards – Dominic McCafferty (Convoy); Gary McCullagh (Raphoe)
Club Boxers of the Year: Kevin O’Boyle (St John Bosco), Aaron McDaid (Raphoe), Charlie Duffy (Illies Golden Gloves), Ryan Ward-Mulrine (Convoy), Molly Simmons (Carndonagh), Lanni Lafferty (Twin Towns), Harry Good (Letterkenny), Kyle Hegarty (Carrigart), Daniel Campbell (St Bridget’s), Matthew McCole (Dungloe), Matthew Carlin (Dunree), Cormac Hall (Dunfanaghy).
Donegal team versus Boston, USA: Andrew Cunningham (Carndonagh), Paddy McShane (Letterkenny), Oisin Wallace (Dunfanaghy), Daniel Campbell (St Bridget’s), Liam McMonagle (Raphoe), Aaron McDaid (Raphoe), Dean Doherty (Carndonagh), Matthew Carlin (Dunree), Josh McDonagh (Dunree), Pearse McBride (Convoy), Odhrán McGinley (Dunfanaghy), Cillin Boyce (Letterkenny), Bryan McNamee (Convoy, team captain); coaches – Gerard Keaveney (Raphoe), Rory McShane (Letterkenny), John Mulhern (Carndonagh), John Gerard Doherty (Carndonagh), Eddie Harkin (Dunfanaghy), Dominic McCafferty (Convoy, head coach), James McCarron (Carrigart, referee/judge); Peter O’Donnell (Donegal Boxing Board President)
New Club Award: Lifford ABC
