Tallaght MA off to a great start in National Seniors

TALLAGHT Martial Arts’ senior members were in action in the first of two rounds of the Kickboxing Ireland National Senior Championship in Tallaght Leisure Centre on Sunday.

David Gray finished first in the Veteran -63kg Points Fighting section while Martin Bannon did like-wise in the Veteran -94kg Points Fighting class.

Dave Heffernan took top spot in both the Veteran +94kg Points Fighting and Light Contact division before Ger Walsh emerged third from the Veteran

-84kg Points Fighting field.

There was a runner-up finish for Brosna

O’Donavan in the -50kg PF section in which Rebecca Kelch took third while Shauna Bannon earned first place in the -55kg Points Fighting and Light Contact sections with Caradh O’Donavan second in Points Fighting.

Tola Adebisi took second place in the -60kg Points Fighting section, Kerrie Browne first in -65kg PF, David Harris second in

-74kg PF, Gar Ryan first in the -89kg PF and Stephen Jones, first in -94kg Points Fighting section.

The club’s strong return from the first round of the Nationals followed the impressive showing of their junior fighters in the B-Elite Open in Gorey.

The tournament, which attracted more than 250 fighters from all over Ireland, saw Nathan Clarke finish first in the

6-7 years and 7-8 years, Brayden Davis follow suit in the 8-9 years and

9-10 years Points Fighting while emerging second from the light contact 8-9 years.

Among the other results for the club at this event were Cillian McCardle (third in the 8-9 years), Cian Jones (first in the 4-5 years points fighting) and his sister Zara (first in the 12-13 years points fighting), Luke Shaw (first Under 13 years Points Fighting), Sam O’Toole (first Under 6 Year’s PF and third in light contact), Ellen McCaughey (first in the 10-11 years PF), Sean McCaughey (first in 9-10 years PF), Isabelle McCaughey (second in the Under 7 PF), Naoise Colvin (first in the 13-14 Years PF), Nathan Kelly (second in the 12-13 years boys PF), Cian Colvin (first in the10-11 years PF) and Dillon King (third in Boys PF section), Kellie Morgan (second in 14-15 years PF).

Elsewhere Tallaght MA had two senior members fighting in the Austrian Classic in Innsbruck, Austria, in Shauna Bannon and Dean Barry.

The latter won gold in the Men’s Team event while Bannon earned silver in the -65kg Points Fighting section.

Barry was also in action in the Québec Open in Canada last weekend where he won his individual weight section and team event.

He has moved over to Canada to pursue a full-time professional career in combat sports and Tallaght MA wishes him the best of luck.

Next up for the club will be the Combat Open in Enfield on Sunday.