Meath GAA clubs boxing clever to raise funds

There have been suggestions that White Collar Boxing is getting old, that it has run its course, that over-saturation has diminished its impact. Try telling that to the 1100 people who turned up at Trim GAA centre last week to witness a pulsating episode of 'Border Wars' which involved the Gaels of Longwood, Kildalkey and Ballivor. All roads to the Trim GAA facility were choked with traffic as supporters of the three clubs deserted their villages to attend the social highlight of the year. None were left disappointed as the 19 bouts resulted in an overall victory for the Longwood club, one ahead of Kildalkey and six clear of Ballivor. As ring-time approached traffic was backed up from St Loman's Park to the Summerhill Road roundabout, while from the other direction, Ballivor supporters ensured a steady flow of cars, buses and vans in the Newhaggard Road. To ensure everyone was safely in place, the start time was delayed, but the excellent atmosphere ensured no complaints. This was Trim GAA's second White Collar Boxing event and once again they helped put on a great show with Cathal O'Grady's promotion ensuring a sharp professional performance for all concerned. All the glitz of a night in Las Vegas was evident. Loud music, bright lights, easy on the eye ring-girls and of course the obligatory heavy hitting all added to the hype. Of the 19 fights, only two failed to go the distance, one bout involved two combatants from the Ballivor club and two of the encounters were all-women bashes. They were amongst the best fights of the night. When it came to heavy hitting none of the fights were more keenly contested than the match-up between Longwood's Lorraine Conway and Ballivor's Mary Sherrock. In the early stages it seemed certain that the bout would not go the distance as Conway landed some heavy blows. However, as Sherrock settled she started to find her range and broke through Conway's guard to land several excellent punches and claim the second round. It was a tremendous exhibition of whole-hearted commitment and never-say-quit attitude from both women and when the result went to the scorecards, Conway had done enough in the first and last rounds to edge it. Naturally the Longwood woman was delighted with the victory, that all her hard work had paid off. "I'm delighted that I won the fight because it was six weeks of intensive training and all the hard work was worthwhile in the end," Conway told the Meath Chronicle. "I was talking to Mary afterwards and she said that she was dazed at the end of the first round, but she did well and came out and won the second round. However, I won the third round and I was delighted to be named overall winner. "I was exhausted at the end of the fight. You would think that three one and a half minute rounds wouldn't be much and that in less than 10 minutes it would be over, but once you're in the ring it is hell for leather and it is so tough. "When the final bell went I was glad it was over and then I started to wonder if I had won. When my name was called out I was delighted. . "The atmosphere was great all night and I want to thank Sean Og O'Grady for all his coaching. I know the company is owned by Cathal O'Grady, but Sean Og did all the hard work with me and I owe him a lot, he gave massive support. Alan Reynolds, a six-time Irish champion, was also a great help to me. "South Meath Boxing club are telling me I have to go training with them on Monday night. I certainly will keep up the training, but I don't know if I'd fight again," concluded Conway. The other female contest pitted Kildalkey's Maire Keogh against Ballivor's Dolores Hannon. Hannon was her club's poster girl and looked impressive in her pre-fight training video, but when the bell went Keogh was exceptional and claimed victory with an impressive array of punches. The only two fights that failed to go the distance were Tony Fox's TKO victory over Clayton Keegan who received a cut around the eye and Vinny Byrne who stopped Cathal Egan in round two. Ballivor's Joe McLaughlin defeated Kildalkey's Alan Davis in a cagey, close fight and then Sean 'Crash' Corrigan edged out Longwood's Martin Cunningham in a thriller. Francis Doran's victory over Cillian Kavanagh gave Kildalkey a 7-6 lead over Longwood with just two fights remaining. When Byrne stopped Egan it brought the club's level, but in the final scoring fight of the night Longwood snatched victory. Meath senior footballer Mickey Burke, representing Longwood, edged out former Meath footballer and Kildalkey senior hurling captain Mairtin Doran in a superb contest. A hard hitting super-heavyweight exhibition between Longwood man Dermot Greene and Eamonn McHale, a brother of Mayo footballer Liam McHale, brought the curtain down on a great occasion. Both men gave everything they had, but Greene's superior power ensured he capped off the night with a win for Meath over a Dublin fighter with Mayo connections. Nothing unusual there!