Intermediate Championships preview
Updated: Thursday, 03 Dec 2009 20:56
The Dublin club have five boxers through to the last four of the National Intermediate Championships at the South Circular Road venue.
Luke Keeler - who meets Dublin Docklands middleweight Bernard Roe - Stephen Carroll, Mark Carlyle, Robbie Burke and David Maguire will be between the ropes at the home of Irish boxing.
Meanwhile, Holy Trinity trio Conrad Cummings, Mark O'Hara and Sean McComb are just two bouts away from landing a major Irish title.
And according to Harry Hawkins, who will be working the Belfast clubs corner along with his brother Mickey, all three will be looking to join their club-mate Ruairi Dalton in next weekends finals.
He said: 'The lads have been given it 100% in the gym for these Championships and they've worked very hard. It's going to be very tough and competitive. Ruairi is already through to the finals following his win last weekend and the lads will be aiming to join him on Friday night.'
Three Cork boxers, the Sunnyside pair of Jamie Long and U/21 champion Patrick O'Shea, and Rylane light heavyweight Donald O'Leary will represent the Rebel County - all three will face Dublin opponents.
Long, at 17 one of the youngest competing at the Championships, faces Baldoyle bantamweight Anthony O'Brien and O'Shea trades leather with Robbie Burke. O'Leary is slated to meet Michael Frayne.
The Leeside duo will have two times Irish Olympian and six times Irish senior champion Kieran Joyce working their corner, while Dan Lane will be doing the honours for O'Leary, a brother of Cork senior Gaelic footballer Noel.
Toome light welterweight Jamie Kennedy will be in action versus Bray prospect Daniel Coughlan and Irish U/21 champion Patrick Gallagher and Shaun McShane dispute the other 64Kg decider.
Kennedy has three solid victories under his belt so far at these Championships - but reckons there's bigger tests to come.
He said: 'I'm enjoying the Championships so far and hopefully I can continue doing that. The further you get the tougher it gets and it will get very very tough from here on in.'
Meantime, Irish Under-18 and Under-21 champion Sean Turner faces Daniel Sherry, while Christopher Devanney meet in the corresponding super heavyweight semi final.
Turner - with Olympic champion Michael Carruth and Irish coach Tony Davitt in his corner - looked very impressive last weekend and is being tipped to go all the way at
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