Mayo News wins award at boxing’s big birthday bash

Mayo News wins award at boxing’s big birthday bash


Austin Garvin
Ballina

WELL over 300 hundred people attended the 80th anniversary dinner of Mayo Boxing Board held in Hotel Ballina on Saturday night last.
Tommy Murphy, President of the Irish Amateur Boxing Association, and registrar Stephen Connolly attended the dinner. It proved to be a glittering occasion that was extremely well organised and presented.
Joe Hennigan, Mayo and Connacht President, and Vice President of the IABA, received the Connacht Council Lifetime Achievement Award for his services to boxing.
Hennigan has held every position available in the sport since he became involved in 1978. He has served as team manager to various Irish teams on 26 occasions including the recent successful European Championships in Minsk, Belarus.
Tommy Murphy presented the award to Hennigan and paid glowing compliments to the Ardnaree man for his devotion to the sport.
Gerry Coyle, Geesala, received the Hall of Fame Award for his unstinting service to the sport and for his great work in his local community. Coyle, who comes from a family steeped in boxing, is a renowned champion of his beloved Erris.
Declan McDonagh, Claremorris Boxing Club and Lycia Heneghan, Ballinrobe Boxing Club were joint winners of the outstanding boxers award.
Numerous national champions were presented with awards for their achievements together with Mayo Schools champions, and Best Boxers at Mayo and Connacht Championships.
Billy Rice, Knockmore received the award as Mayo’s most active referee/judge for the season 2012/2013, while Noreen Quinn, Castlebar, picked up the award as the most active judge.
The award for the ‘Best Club at Mayo School Championships for 2012/2013’ went to St Anne’s Boxing Club, Westport. They also won the awards for ‘Best Club at Mayo County Championships 2012/2013’ and ‘Best Club at Connacht Championships 2012/2013’.
Knockmore Boxing Club won the ‘Mayo best promoting club award’, while the award for Mayo’s outstanding clubs over the last 80 years was jointly shared by St Anne’s and Ardnaree Boxing Clubs.
Midwest Radio and The Mayo News received awards for their promotion of boxing. Joe Hennigan complimented both for their coverage of the sport on a continuing basis. Fiona Hennigan and Angelina Nugent, Midwest Radio read the citations.

Award winners
THE following boxers received awards on the night: Declan McDonagh (Claremorris): CiarΡn Brogan (Knockmore); Matthew Tierney (Oughterard); Thomas Sweeney (Castlebar); Matthew Davis (Ardagh/Cross); Roy Collins (Ardnaree); Tadgh McGowan (Knockmore); Dylan Lally (Knockmore); Keith Hopkins (Ardagh/Cross); Kayleigh Lynch (Golden Gloves Belmullet); Abbie Comiskey (Ardnaree); Caroline McDonagh (Ballina); Shannon Sweeney (St Anne’s, Westport); Amy Sweeney(St Anne’s, Westport); Shea Pye (Knockmore); Alex Maughan (Castlebar); Joseph Lawrence (Ardnaree); Brian O’Neill (Ballyhaunis); Fionn Gill (Ardnaree); Darren Groarke (Killasser); Dara Padden (Golden Gloves, Belmullet); Aoife Bredican (Swinford); James Collins (Eagle BC, Westport); Michael S Collins (Ballina); David T Ward (Ballyhaunis); Matthew McDonagh (Geesala); Barry C Ward (Gurteen); Jack Byrne (Claremorris): Matthew McDonagh (Claremorris): Ronan Callaghan (Ardagh/Cross); Benjamin Garrett (Castlebar); Lauren Padden (Golden Gloves, Belmullet); Ann Lisa Sweeney (Knockmore); Rosie Conroy (Geesala); Ciara Ginty (Geesala); Sinéad Gill (Ardnaree); Michael Conroy (Geesala); Jack Kavanagh (Swinford); Colm Quinn (Castlebar); Dean Loftus (Ardagh/Cross); Shane Muldoon (Ballyhaunis); Eamon Walsh (St Anne’s, Westport); Rachel Carey (Geesala); Eric Nash (Knockmore); Gavin Roach (Castlebar); Evan Heneghan (Ballinrobe); Ryan Peake (Ballyhaunis); Aoibhe Carrabine (Geesala); Michelle Daly (Ballyhaunis); Megan Gavin (St Anne’s, Westport); Kasper Bura (St Anne’s, Westport); Patrick Sweeney (Ballyhaunis); Lisa Browne (Eagle BC, Westport); Bert Zalewski (St Anne’s, Westport); Francis McDonagh (St Anne’s, Westport); Joanne Padden (Golden Gloves, Belmullet); Martin Collins (St Anne’s, Westport); Aoife Carrabine/Aoibhe Ginty (Geesala); Rory Brennan (St Anne’s, Westport); Ciara Sheedy (Swinford); Francis Carr (St Anne’s, Westport); James Brennan (St Anne’s, Westport); Cathy Higgins (Ardnaree); GrΡinne Gavin (Castlebar); Aoife Hennigan (Swinford); Jamie Butler (Ballinrobe); Jacqui Lynch (Golden Gloves, Belmullet); SeΡn Conroy (Ballyhaunis); Shannon Timlin (Geesala); Kieran Lally (Ardnaree) and Jamie Conroy (Ballina).