Casements GAC fight night packs a punch!

The eagerly-awaited Roger Casements GAC fight night more than lived up to expectations as a number of the Bannside club’s players tried their hand in the boxing ring.

The fight night was organised by the Casements club in conjunction with All Saints Boxing and both organisations declared themselves delighted by the response.

A bumper crowd of between 500-600 people packed into Tullyglass House Hotel to watch a handful of members of Casements players take on opponents from neighbouring clubs including Pearse’s GAC Kilrea in a totally different sporting environment than on the GAA field.

It proved a fantastic night’s boxing with Portglenone pair Gerad Scullion and Owen Kelly overcoming Kilrea opponents Andrew McElmoyle and Paudie Mullan.

Casements’ Donagh Kelly suffered a defeat at the hands of Ahoghill’s Chris McGlone, but Paddy Kelly restored the bragging rghts for the Portglenone club when he beat Ahoghill’s Thomas McGlone in what many observed deemed the best fight of the night.

“Given that the vast majority of them had never been involved in boxing until they started training with us eight weeks ago, they can all hold their heads up high,” All Saints Boxing Club coach Gerry Hamill told Times Sport.

“The contest between Paddy Kelly and Thomas McGlone in particular wouldn’t have looked out of place on any boxing club bill.

“We’re hopeful that a couple of the GAA guys will stay on with us even now that the show is over because there is definitely boxing talent there.

“It was a tremendous night all round, very professionally run by the Casements club and Tullyglass and everyone seemed to have a great time.”

The event also gave the All Saints club an opportunity to showcase the next batch of talent coming off the Cushendall Road club’s conveyor belt, with a number of young members performing in front of by far the biggest crowd of their fledgling careers.

There were wins for All Saints’ Christie Convery, Jimmy Convery, Oisin Doherty, Conor McGhee and Reece McDonnell, while Matthew McPeake and Brian Lewis suffered defeats in close-run bouts.

And for some of the evening’s first-time protagnnists, it’s a case of ‘ding, ding, round two’ this weekend when the Pearse’s club hosts a similar venture – meaning an instant return to the ring for some of the would-be boxers!

* Meanwhile, four All Saints boxers landed titles at the recent County Antrim Novice Championships.

Dylan Matchett and Reece McDonnell both won their contests inside the distance, each stopping their opponents in the third round.

Brian Lewis had a good win over Joel Bexter (Newington) while Raymond Ward at 50kg won on a walkover.

Four more All Saints youngsters - Jimmy Convery. Lewis McKee, Connor McGhee and Aidan Kelly were beaten in the finals.

For more photos from the Casements GAC event, don’t miss this week’s Ballymena Times.