a day ago
Tredagh Boxing Academy enjoy gold rush up North at Armagh/Down Championships
Three of their fighters saw Friday night action at the Armagh/Down Open Championships in Craigavon where Daniel Mathews boxed very well in his semi-final against Dundalk opposition and was unlucky to be edged out on a split decision.
Daniel, only back from a long injury, was very impressive in the first half of the bout but lost the last round, with his inactivity for the past two months a key factor.
Callum Carragher boxed his final against a very sharp Jake Daly from D Box.
This was in the senior section and it was Callum's first experience of three rounds of three minutes duration, with no headguard. This was undoubtedly the fight of the night as it showcased two very talented boxers. Callum's advanced technical combinations and hard-hitting backhands were very impressive in a high-tempo contest and he was crowned as an Armagh/Down Open senior champion by unanimous decision.
Darragh Smyth was in action against a very strong, game boxer Christian Mc Masters from Portavogie Boxing Club and this was another high-tempo, tough bout.
Darragh's skillset has really improved over the past year and this, mixed with his natural strength and hard-hitting backhand, was the difference as he was also crowned as an Armagh/Down Open champion.
The Saturday was another busy day as boxers and coaches from Tredagh Academy took off in different directions.
At the All-Ireland Cadet Championships in the National Stadium both Cian Smyth and Charlie Flanagan were in action again after their impressive wins in the same competition the weekend before.
Cian Smyth was up first and he faced Se O'Neill from St Janice's Boxing Club in what turned out to be another fantastic bout.
The Tredagh fighter was particularly impressive in rounds two and three but lost out on the dreaded split decision. Nevertheless, there was plenty to admire about Cian who is technically still a novice and yet won one bout on his National Stadium debut and very nearly progressed to the semi-finals.
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Charlie Flanagan from Tredagh faced the current All-Ireland champion from Avona, took the first round and was winning the second when he tripped and injured his knee. Unfortunately, Charlie had to retire and is having the issue medically addressed.
Like young Cian, Charlie really excelled in this competition, coming through two rounds, and it didn't go unnoticed as he was invited onto the coveted Leinster Development Squad.
The same weekend Tredagh also sent a number of boxers to Craigavon for their respective Armagh/Down finals.
Kailin Morris had a cracking contest with Ethan Mulligan (Camlough) and lost narrowly, while James Hackett also fought opposition from Camlough, boxed very well at range and triggered his aggressive, hard-hitting backhand to become an Armagh/Down Open champion by unanimous decision.
Jamie Campbell was also involved in a tough three-round battle against a strong lad in Toryn Simpson (SOTS BC). Jamie bit down on his gumshield hard and showed great determination and will to earn the decision and get crowned as an Armagh/Down Open champion.
Emma O'Gorman had a repeat of her All-Ireland final against an opponent from Castleblayney and raised her game. So much son that the Tredagh corner felt she had won, but the outcome went the other way on a split decision.
There was better fortune for Keith Muma who gave a technical masterclass with aggression to beat Eoin Bennett (John McCoy BC) by unanimous decision and win another Armagh/Down title.
Meanwhile, Ceejay Sheelan and Andrew Mathews attended Leinster Development Squad training in Carlow recently, while Michael James McDonagh and Simon McDonagh boxed at the exhibition show in Bay City BC in Dublin.
Tredagh's head coach Padraig McCullough attended weekend four of the Sport Ireland Coach Developer Course in Limerick University.
Overall, in the past few weeks Tredagh Academy have won seven golds and three silvers in the senior Armagh/Down Championships and seven golds and one silver at the equivalent junior competition - the club's biggest ever number of champions in those two tournaments.
