Last weekend saw a return to glory days for The Saints Boxing Club (Twinbrook) as Kane Bacon (41.5kg) and Corey Connors (59kg) both came through the tough process of winning the Irish National Championships.
Winning their Co Antrim Championships was the first stage back in March to qualify for the National Championship.
Both lads faced tough draws and started the campaign at the quarter-final stage in Dublin.
Three bouts to win an Irish title over the week is in itself a gruelling task, but the Saints men rose to the challenge and went on to lift the titles on Saturday evening.
This is the first time since both their coaches, the Cunningham brothers, Liam and Harry lifted the national titles that the club has had two winners at a National Championships.
With two new national champions, this has rounded off a very successful season for Saints boxers, with Antrim and Ulster titles in other weights, both male and female, and a very prestigious UK Championship title for Noah Bacon at the UK Boys and Girls Clubs' Championship, emulating again his club coaches wins in this tough competition.
Saints' boxers and coaches
The club is definitely boasting some of Ireland's best juniors. The coaches are extremely proud of their boxers' achievements and have really put the hard groundwork into achieving success in an ever-growing, highly competitive sport.
The coaching team, all past champions at Irish and Ulster level, are best placed to advise the new generation at Saints on what is required at the top levels in boxing and have new plans on a clubrooms' expansion and development.
The future certainly looks promising for the Twinbrook club.
Bosco’s Harley and Erin claim Irish titles
St John Bosco had two Irish champions from the Boy/Girl 1 Irish finals at the weekend, Harley Clarke and Erin McComb.
Harley has had a great first year in boxing, winning Co. Antrim, Co. Down/Armagh and now an All-Irelands.
Since the new club opened this year, Bosco have had 11 Antrim champions, nine Ulster champions and so far, two Irish champions with two lads still left in the competition.
There are also 10 boxers competing in the upcoming Irish Cadets.
Meanwhile, a great year for Immaculata continued in Dublin as Gearoid Monaghan claimed victory, while Caolan Rooney, Ned Docherty and Jessica O’Hara claimed runner-up medals
