Tallaght Open attracts top local MA talent yet again this season

By Stephen Leonard

TALLAGHT Martial Arts’ annual Open Kickboxing Tournament yet again attracted a strong turnout including local competi-tors from Bushido Clondalkin, Black Pan-thers and GMA Martial Arts as well as the host club.

Taking place in Tallaght Community School on Sunday, the event saw Tallaght chalk up a string of top placings, most notably through the likes of Shauna Bannon who finished first in both the Senior -60kg and +60kg Points Fighting divisions.

Nathan Kelly followed suit in making it a double in the Under 11 Points Fight and Light Contact categories while Chris Williamson was first in the -74kg Men’s Novice section.

Jodie Browne emerged top from the Under 13 PF class while her sister Kerri carded second and third place finishes.

Loraine Davis won the Womens Novice +60kg competitions before Troy Gannon earned the runner-up spot at Under 15 degree.

Black Panthers in Brookfield also made their presence felt here with Kayleigh Mulvey placing first in Under 9 Light Contact before Reece Mulvey emerged third from his division.

For GMA, Jordan Foley successfully negotiated three fights on his way to the Under 15 Youth Under 65kg title.

Lining out in a fiercely competitive Senior Men’s +63kg class that included the top three competitors in the country, Ireland’s Number Two Eoin Glynn went all the way to the prize.

Representing BMA Clondalkin, European silver medallist Gwen Hammond won gold in the Girls Under 18 Continuous division while Abigail Duggan earned silver after being pipped in the final of the Girls Under 11 Continuous class.

Under 11 Intermediate competitor Zach Lamari made it to the semi finals of the biggest junior division of the day before Alan Burkas also reached the last four of the Boys Novice Under 7 class.

Eoghen Gorman, in the Boys Under 18 Continuous category, lost out on a split decision in the semis against newly crowned European champion Peter Carr from KKC.

Best of the Bushido adults on the day was Eoin Murray who won gold in the Men’s Novice Continuous +80kg category.

Conor Darcy making his first appearance for the club was in top form as he reached the semi finals of the Boys Novice Under 15 category.