Successful junior championships campaign for Sacred Heart boxers

SACRED Heart Boxing Club are celebrating after leaving the All-Ireland Junior Championships with five boxers crowned Irish champions and two winning silver medals.

Tyler Moore set the tone for the Killinarden club when he beat Kane Bacon from Saints BC in Antrim en route to the final, securing passage on a split decision.

Boxing in the Boy Two 35kg category, Moore boxed out of his skin in the final, securing his first ever and the club’s first gold of the championship with a 4-1 split decision win over Ciaran Gunning from Ballinacarrow.

Comghall Guerrine put on an exhibition to beat Edward Delaney by second round stoppage in the quarter final before gliding into the final with a comfortable unanimous decision victory against St Monica’s Shane Campbell.

This teed up a showdown with Darren Joyce from Elite BC, Mullingar, and the final did not disappoint as both fighters went back and forth with Guerrine ultimately being crowned national champion.

In the Girl Four 43kg category, Abbey Molloy won her second national title after being drawn straight through the final, with her opponent ultimately giving the Sacred Heart fighter a walkover.

Harley Sallinger utilised a mix of rapid, yet strong, head and body shots to see off Conor Barry from Tramore BC in the third round of the Boy Four 36kg semi-final.

In the showpiece, Sallinger outworked Robert Quinn from St Paul’s BC, Antrim to take a 5-0 unanimous decision win and a second consecutive national title as a result.

European champion Brandon Geoghegan got to display his excellent boxing intelligence and ability on his way to landing his fourth Irish title. In what turned out to be a highly skilled bout, Geoghegan had to rely on all of his skills in a spectacular semi-final throw-down with Christian Doyle from Olympic BC.

Geoghegan showed that bit more with the judges awarding him the contest on an unanimous decision and it teed up an epic duel in the final with Ritchie Gentle.

Phoenix BC’s Gentle pushed Geoghegan all the way but it was the Tallaght boxer who took the win on a 2- 3 split-decision.

Meanwhile, both Makayla Heapes and Zac Vause were awarded silver medals after falling short in their respective finals.

Keane Lynch and Kayden McGuire also represented the Killinarden club for the first time at the national championships, both ultimately losing in the preliminary stages but gaining massive amounts of experience.