BACK in early 2023, Holy Trinity pair Jon McConnell and Clepson Dos Santos trudged out of the National Stadium on finals night bitterly disappointed, but it was a huge contrast on Friday night in the capital as they both got their hands on maiden Irish Elite titles.
Their victories moved the Turf Lodge club onto 41 titles overall at Elite level and rounded off a superb week for the club as their next generation came of age.
In the 71kg final, McConnell, who came through against Eugene McKeever earlier in the week, put past heartbreak behind him that also included a narrow loss to Matthew McCole in the Ulsters at the start of the year.
He had to fight for it against Ballynacargy's Wayne Kelly who was in a similar boat having been in Elite finals but yet to get across the line.
Both men were desperate for the victory but it was the greater quality of the West Belfast man which would ultimately shine through to leave him a little emotional as he collected the silverware.
"So much disappointment, so many 3-2s or 4-1s (decisions against)," he reflected.
"You wonder if you should give up or not as so much goes through your head when it goes against you. Top hear 3-2 there I thought 'no way, not again'.
"We were here two years ago with Clepson when we both lost just before the first Olympic qualifier. Missing out on the Olympics...
"My dad made me stick at it and Micky Hawkins always believed in me. Irish Elite champion at 71, words can't describe it. It's just unbelievable."
McConnell (blue) and Kelly engage
McConnell began well against his southpaw opponent, using his reach advantage to land some early jabs, but Kelly grew into the bout and timed some left backhands on the button.
It was nip and tuck with both having their success with McConnell getting through with right but then taking a counter in a close opener.
Kelly was the more aggressive of the two but McConnell was moving well and in the second he was able to lure and punish the Ballynacargy who was caught on a few occasions when quickening the feet to move inside.
A check left greeted Kelly in the opening seconds of the third as he sought to impose himself and it remained a case of the Westmeath man seeking to land first and McConnell countering with both having their moments, but it just appeared the better quality was again coming from the man in the blue corner who edged a 3-2 split.
His win over McKeever on Wednesday perhaps led many to believe the final would be a formality, but he didn't buy into that theory and was just delighted to get over the line.
"Everyone came over and said: 'That's the hardest one done', but he (Kelly) and McKeever have had good fights before," McConnell said of his semi-final win.
"Wayne Kelly has been about for years. He's strong for the weight but I thought he was going to move a bit more. He came out straight away and set off on the front foot, but I got my range in the second and I think that's my experience too as I stuck at it.
"He had a strong first round and I think I came into it at the end of the first. The left hook was the shot I found in the second and in the last, it was the straight one-two.
"I can't believe it. It's a crazy feeling to be number one in Ireland at the weight - I could burst out crying."
Dos Santos sets the tone
Earlier in the night, his clubmate, Dos Santos got the ball rolling as he put the 2013 defeat to Sean Mari behind him.
Now bigger, stronger and quicker, there was no stopping him as he landed the flyweight title with victory over Ricky Nesbitt in superb fashion as the 20-year-old was too quick and slick for Newsbitt who battled well, but was always a step behind.
"I'm a completely different boxer and person from two years ago," said a beaming Dos Santos.
"I knew myself that if I put my mind to it, I could have done it. I could have done it back then, but I know I wasn't mature and hadn't filled into the weight, which gave my opponent an advantage.
"Now, I'm big at the weight, strong and have learnt a lot over the past two years at different tournaments and on the High Performance."
Dos Santos is declared the winner
It was an even opening as neither were for throwing caution to the wind, picking their shots in what was an absorbing start.
Nesbitt scored with a right over the guard, while the hand speed of Dos Santos came through with a couple of eye-catching shots of his own which probably shaded the round.
It was the Drogheda man who was first to make an impression in the second as he was then sent to be inspected by the doctor as a head clash had resulted in swelling over the left eye.
When the action resumed, the chess match was over and both decided to get down to it, standing and trading with the blurring hand speed of the Holy Trinity man most impressive, but Nesbitt was giving as good as he got but the direction of travel was suiting Dos Santos.
Again, Nesbitt was first to score in the final round with Dos Santos patient before exploding with rapid fire and was boosted as Nesbitt was given a public warning for continued use of the head, but the Trinity man was quicker and sharper as he finished well to claim the verdict on four cards with one even.
"I've had Irish titles at every other level, but to get the Elite one means a bit more as it's the one to win in Ireland," he added.
"I'm number one and the man to beat now, so it puts me in a good position for getting picked for future tournaments and helps put me into the spotlight.”
