Rooney claimed three consecutive titles from 1996-’98, but it was 23 years before the north Belfast club would welcome another through its doors following Hale’s success on Saturday night. JOHN Paul Hale wasn’t even born when his uncle, James Rooney, claimed Star Boxing Club’s last Irish senior title – and coach Liam Corr will be urging the new breed to make sure there isn’t such a long wait next time. Irish Elite 60kg champion JP Hale with star coaches Barry McMahon (left) and Liam Corr
Even down in Dublin, all the oul faces were coming up and chatting to him - he loved it.” “But Nugget’s starting to relax and get the buzz for it again. “He took a step away because of Covid, he was cautious, understandably being over 70. She’s going to be a handful for anyone.”Īnd Lindsay was delighted to have Nugent back by his side at the Stadium as another name was added to the Mac’s long list of Irish champions. “I just feel now Caitlin’s getting near her best. “They’ve sparred loads of rounds together, Carly’s got that victory over her from a few years back, but boxing’s all about timing. They look like the two leading contenders for the 51kg spot, and Lindsay admits they know each other “extremely well”. All eyes will be on earning a spot at next year’s Commonwealth Games, with McNaul having picked up a silver medal in the Gold Coast three years ago. It remains to be seen what McNaul’s intentions are, with December’s Ulster Elite Championships edging ever closer. To be honest, there’s a lot more to Caitlin than we saw the other night.” “She lost on a split to Carly in the Ulster final a few years ago in a fight that could’ve gone either way, and she’s improved a lot since then. She had won pretty much everything at underage but as soon as you step up to elite level, it’s nice to get that title. It was a tough couple of years there with no fights. “I was over the moon with the performance, and for her. “Even the other night, I was getting nervous like I did when I was fighting – it’s actually worse because when you’re fighting, you start to warm up and the butterflies go away, but when you’re a coach they stay there! “It was tough, a frustrating time for everybody, but now we’re all going to be flat out for the next three months with boxing back up and running – there’s targets and dates to get all the wee ones ready for, you see them coming back into the gym because there’s something to work towards. “You could see what it meant to them all, and to Caitlin, and to ourselves,” said the 39-year-old, who has helped establish the successful Belfast Met Boxing Academy since hanging up the gloves seven years ago. Martin Lindsay remembers going to watch the likes of Frankie Slane when he was coming through the ranks and, having landed two Irish senior titles with the Mac, would go on claim the British featherweight strap as a pro.Īlongside the legendary Gerry ‘Nugget’ Nugent, Lindsay was in Fryers’s corner as she claimed a maiden Irish title at elite level, leaving behind the frustration of the past few years, Immaculata has never been short of fights to aspire to – in 21-year-old Fryers, they now have another. Each one of those young supporters will box at some level over the coming months as the delayed Antrim and Ulster season gets under way, some entering competitions for the first time. It mattered plenty to her, but the trickle-down effect such victories can have is immeasurable.
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In the TG4 studio, Olympians Michaela Walsh and Ken Egan reckoned the Mac woman had done enough – and the anxiety on their young faces turned to glee as Fryers deservedly got the nod after an all-action display.
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Unable to travel down to the National Stadium on Saturday due to Covid restrictions, the entire youth wing of the Immaculata Boxing Club were crammed into one of their coaches’ sheds back in west Belfast, eyes glued to the TV screen, eagerly awaiting the result of the 50kg final between Nicole Clyde and their own Caitlin Fryers.
THERE was footage floating about social media in the hour or two after the dust settled on the Irish Elite finals that summed up why it matters so much to have your hand raised on the calendar’s biggest night.