IT was a Star ABC one-two at Girdwood Hub on Friday as JP Hale and Louis Rooney were victorious on finals night of the Ulster Elite Boxing Championships.
Hale claimed his fourth title with Rooney landing his first on a great night for the New Lodge club and both came through thrilling contests.
Hale scored a repeat win over Anthony Malanphy whom he defeated in the 2023 decider to retain the light-welterweight crown on a 4-1 split verdict.
The North Belfast man was first to land with a right hand but the Erne challenger retaliated with a left as both battled for supremacy early on.
Yet Hale's ability to switch stances proved effective as he set the traps and scored with chopping shots in the opening two rounds, claiming the centre of the ring and asserting himself.
Malanaphy did have his moments with a good uppercut but he knew he needed something major in the final round and pressed on, yet Hale picked him off with early jabs and counters off the ropes.
The Fermanagh man appeared to be making a dent at one stage, but Hale dug in and found the answers, driving Malanaphy back and himself over the line for another title success.
"That's number four against a good opponent," he said after.
"We've fought three times now and he has improved since the last two fights. It is the final so I wanted to go out with a bang. I could have made it a wee bit boring but I like to have a scrap.
"I was waiting for him to throw the left hook and I'd block and throw the right hook. Everything went to plan and I could have made it boring, but I wanted to have fun in there and show what I can do.
"Two titles (for Star) tonight and that is my cousin Louis, so it's great to have two champions in the club.
"There are loads of people here watching, so hopefully I can get back on the (Irish) team and stay at high a level as possible."
Hale tangles with Malanaphy 
Earlier in the night, Rooney took a unanimous decision verdict over St John Bosco's Padraig Downey, but that doesn't tell the tale of a hugely competitive three rounds.
This bout ignited the packed out venue with both opening quickly as they sought to impose themselves, but much of the attacks were being negated by good defensive work with shots slipped.
Both did land some eye-catching shots but two right hands from Downey late on may have given him the slightest of edges.
Rooney was the aggressor in the second and although he was picked off early, a couple of scoring rights would see him take control of the round as he pressed and left to all to play for in the final round.
Again, both would have their moments with this final on a knife-edge and Downey enjoyed early success, but a late rally from Rooney swung the pendulum his way to claim his first Ulster Elite title.
"I knew it was going to be a tough fight," said the victor who was also named Young Boxer of the Tournament.
"He was last year's Ulster Elite champion and U22 champion, so I wasn't going to shy away from the challenge. I backed myself and I'm an Irish champion myself.
"I thought I did more than enough get the win, but I can't take it away from Padraig: he's a good opponent, but the better man won on the day.
"I gassed out a wee bit and had to give it a push to win my first Elite title in my first year of Elite boxing without the headguard.
"I've been training twice a day, five days a week for the past five weeks to get this. It means everything to me, everything to the club."
Rooney celebrates his win 
In the end, there were nine finals contested as Holy Trinity's Jake Tucker was forced to withdraw from the 80kg decider due to injury, meaning Catleblayney's Conor McKernan was granted a walkover.
After four special contests to open the night, the first of the finals saw Carly Irvine claim the women's 48kg title with a unanimous decision win over Canal's Chloe Fleck.
Both flew out of the traps and set a high pace, but it was the Oak Leaf fighter who dominated the opener.
The pace slowed in the second with Fleck coming into it as she upped the stakes, but Irvine had her own moments.
There was blood from Irvine's nose in the third, but he was picking her shots well and was a deserved winner.
The Oak Leaf club was celebrating once more as Jack Harkin claimed a 4-12 win over Churchlands' Matthew Boreland in the 54kg final.
At welterweight, Cahir Gormley edged a close encounter with Gianni Richmond of Cairn Lodge on a 3-2 verdict and his Illies' clubmate, Matthew McCole, was another narrow 3-2 winner, getting the nod over Holy Trinity's Jon McConnell at 71kg.
Jon McConnell (right) closes in on Matthew McCole
McCole long levers and southpaw stance gave McConnell a puzzle to solve, but there were signs towards the end of the opener he was doing just that with some scoring shots late.
McConnell appeared to be into a rhythm in the second as he was timing his raids and scoring as he appeared to take the second.
It seemed the final round would decide matters and McCole was back using his reach as he landed with McConnell coming into range.
The Holy Trinity man did have success of his own, but not enough to sway enough of the judges and he was left bitterly disappointed at the verdict.
The lightweight title went the way of Erne's Rhys Owens who took a unanimous verdict over Holy Trinity's Teo Alin.
Owens just had that bit of extra quality as he scored on the front foot to win the first and although Alin began to up his output, he was being picked off.
The Holy Trinity man tried to force a way back in, but Owens landed some heavy fire down the stretch and although Alin finished with a good right, it was not enough with Owens the winner.
A disappointing night for the Turf Lodge club was complete when Mosa Kambule lost out in the 75kg final to Emerald's Lex Weston 3-1 (one card even).
Lex Weston (left) and Mosa Kambule battle it out 
Weston dominated the opener, but a one-two from Kambule ing the second sparked him to life and turned this fight into a thriller as his confidence grew with each moment, tagging Weston who himself was using his size advantage to pick off the Trinity man on the way in. In the end, Kambule's rally fell short as Weston took the title.
The final bout of the night was in the super-heavyweight division with both Ormeau Road's Tom Seaton and Willie John McCartan slugging it out in a good battle that went the way of McCartan on a unanimous decision.
Results
48kg: Carly Irvine (Oak Leaf) 5-0 Chloe Fleck (Canal)
48kg: Louis Rooney (Star) 5-0 Padraig Downey (St John Bosco)
54kg: Matthew Boreland (Churchlands) 1-4 Jack Harkin (Oak Leaf)
60kg: Rhys Owens (Erne) 5-0 Teo Alin (Holy Trinity)
63.5kg: Anthony Malanaphy (Erne) 1-4 JP Hale (Star)
67kg: Gianni Richmond (Cairn Lodge) 2-3 Cahir Gormley (Illies GG)
71kg: Jon McConnell (Holy Trinity) 2-3 Matthew McCole (Illies GG)
75kg: Mosa Kambule (Holy Trinity) 1-3 Lex Weston (Emerald)
92+kg: Willie John McCartan (Gilford) 5-0 Tom Seaton (Ormeau Road)
Walkovers
51kg: Clepson Dos Santos (Holy Trinity)
57kg: Donagh Keary (Rathfriland)
80kg: Conor McKernan (Castleblayney)
86kg: Anthony Taggart (Ormeau Road)
92kg: David McDonagh (Holy Trinity)
50kg: Caitlin Fryers (Immaculata)
54kg: Nicole Clyde (Antrim)
57kg: Courtney McCrudden (Emerald)
60kg: Carly McNaul (Ormeau Road)
63kg: Caprice Coiley (Clonard)
66kg: Gemma McDowell (Holy Trinity)
