Echo Sports Year in Review 2020: January
By Hayden Moore
IT WAS to prove a rip-roaring start to 2020 for local sport as Griffith College Templeogue Basketball Club celebrated more National Cup success while swimmer Ellen Walshe dazzled on the international stage.
Experience proved to be a key factor in seeing Griffith College Templeogue to their third National Cup title in five seasons after they surmounted the huge challenge of near neighbours DBS Éanna.
After securing their first ever Cup Final berth, Éanna locked horns with Templeogue at the National Basketball Arena but it was Mark Keenan’s side who prevailed, winning out 78-68.
Templeogue Swim Club’s Walshe rang in the new year in style when she became the first Irish female swimmer to record a sub-minute time in the 100m Butterfly.
The 18-year-old broke the previous Irish best of 1:00.21 set by Shauna O’Brien in 2015 with a stunning 59.54 that saw her to gold at the Flanders Cup in Belgium after also topping the podium in the 200m Butterfly with a PB of 2:14.15 the previous day.
Crumlin Boxing Club coach Philip Sutcliffe linked up with former protégé Conor McGregor as a boxing skills coach- a move that paid dividends after the latter carded a victory against Donald Cerrone on his UFC return.
Ballyboden St Enda’s saw their hopes of reaching the All-Ireland Club Football Championship Final go up in flames after being downed by a dogged Kilcoo in the penultimate round.
St Colmcille’s CS Knocklyon players celebrate their victory over St Patrick’s Academy Dungannon in the Basketball Ireland Under 19B Girls Schools Cup Final at the National Basketball Arena.
Pick up your copy of this Week’s Echo to read the full Sports Year in Review for January 2020.