Egan retains National title

Ken Egan was crowned Irish senior champion for the tenth year in a row following a points win over Belfast light heavyweight Tommy McCarthy at the National Stadium in Dublin on Friday night.

The Neilstown southpaw, who was pegged back to 3-3 in the second round, was handed an 8-5 decision in a repeat of the 2009 final which the Olympic silver medallist won 9-5.

The win matched Irish legend Mick Dowling's (1968-75) run of winning eight senior titles in a row in the same weight category.

Egan, who won his first two belts at middleweight, also matches Jim O'Sullivan's run of ten non-consecutive senior title wins between 1980 and 1990.

O'Sullivan was on hand to present Egan with his belt and trophy.

Dowling, a two times Irish Olympian (Mexico 1968 and Munich 1972) who was once ranked 3rd in the World, hailed Egan's incredibly run.

'I would like to congratulate Kenneth on a fantastic achievement,' Dowling said.

'After three and a half decades it was time that somebody did it and I'm delighted for him. I think he can now go on and win eleven in a row - he's that kind of boxer.'

Beijing Olympian John Joe Joyce beat defending champion Willie McLaughlin 12-9 to claim the welterweight belt in a cracking 69Kg contest which was level at 3-3 at the end of the first and 6-6 at the end of the second.

Joyce, from the St Michael's Athy club, finally began to put some daylight between himself and McLaughlin in the third, despite the best efforts of the Donegal man in a final 60 seconds which saw some heavy blows exchanged on both sides.

Senior debutant Jason Quigley showed enough composure in his final with Darren O'Neill to suggest that he has a big future ahead of him.

However, O'Neill is a vastly experienced boxer and showed great skill and patience to keep building on his first round lead and post a 6-1 win to secure his second 75Kg crown on the trot.

Belfast dynamo Paddy Barnes claimed a fourth consecutive senior title with a convincing 8-1 victory over Jimmy Moore of the St Francis club in Limerick.

The Holy Family man, a bronze medal winner at the Beijing Olympics and officially ranked ninth in the world, deservedly had his hand raised in victory.

Moore, one of the great stalwarts of Irish boxing, said before these Championships that the 2010 tournament would be his last - but maybe he can be persuaded to give it one last shot when the IABA celebrates its 100th birthday next year.

Tyrone McCullough claimed the vacant featherweight title following a 3-1 victory over James Fryers in a tactical 57Kg decider. McCullough got ahead and stayed ahead all the way down to the final bell of this all-Ulster bout.

Defending champion Con Sheehan beat former champ Alan Reynolds in a hard-hitting heavyweight final, a repeat of the 2009 clash which Sheehan, the current European Union champ, also won.

Debbie Rogers and Kelly Harrington recorded the first two Elite Women's finals wins of last night, Rogers stopping Rebecca Meaney in round two and Harrington beating Jessica Lyons 10-2.

World and European champ Katie Taylor also won 10-2 in a special bout with 2009 European finalist Julia Tsyplakova of the Ukraine. Taylor was always on top in this duel and was 9-1 ahead going into the fourth and final frame.

The 23-year-old produced her best work in the third, switching crisply from head to body and getting the better of three close-range exchanges. However, she believes there's room for improvement.

'I don't know if I was happy with my form,' said Taylor.

'I felt a bit tired tonight - my legs were a bit tired. I haven't boxed in a few months. I suppose I was getting a bit of ring rust out as well. I was not too happy with my performance.'

Drimnagh middleweight Sinead Kavanagh edged out Ukrainian Tetyana Ivashenko on a double count-back in the first special bout of the session. Both boxers were tied at 10-10 and 21-21 after the first count-back, but Kavanagh got a 5-0 decision from the judges.

Four Corners ace Jennifer Harte claimed the first title off the night after stopping the brave challenge of Catherine O'Grady in the third round of their light flyweight contest.