Hayden on Cloud Nine after Senior Cadet title victory
WILLIAM Hayden captured his ninth national boxing championship title after seeing off a tough challenge from St Mary’s man Francis Maughan in the Senior Cadet 66kg decider on Saturday in the National Stadium.
The 16-year-old Crumlin boxer who won gold in the European Schoolboy Championships in Zagreb two years ago was coming up against an opponent who had earned bronze at the same event.
William Hayden with his nine National Championship medals
A highly-competitive final was what was, therefore, expected and it came to pass with Hayden taking a 3-2 split decision and subsequently maintaining his unbeaten run on the domestic front.
The victory marked the final step in an impressive campaign that saw him card a unanimous victory over Danny McHugh of Two Castles Boxing Club in the quarter finals.
This was followed up with an equally emphatic triumph over James Whelan of Dublin Docklands in the penultimate rounds.
The title win sees Hayden on to the Ireland Senior Cadet squad that will contest the European Championships in Anapa in Russia in October.
There was no Senior Cadet Final joy for Crumlin’s Shelby Myers as she lost out 4-1 to Clonmel’s Ellie Mai-Gartland in the battle for the Girls 54kg prize.
Myers had earned an impressive unanimous decision in her semi final bout against Geesala’s Kelly Heffernan.
Another of the St Mary’s contingent Sam Leonard also came undone in the finals, losing out to Drimnagh’s Taylor Guiney for the 63kg title after having beaten Dealgan’s Jamie Williams in the last eight before receiving a walkover in the semis.
