By Harry Walsh
PUNCHES were thrown with abandon by Ardara GAA players at the Blue Haven on Saturday night, however neither a red nor a yellow card was to be seen as White Collar Boxing came to town in the form of “Saturday Night’s all right for Fighting” Ardara GAA Fund-raising night.
The event had all the hype and razzmatazz of a professional boxing card and there were some thrilling contests that, for the most part, featured Ardara senior players locking horns with one another with a few “outsider” contests thrown in for good measure.
It was a case of standing room only on an evening which was enjoyed by a crowd of over 600 enthusiastic patrons.
The night got off to a good start with Kevin ‘The Bishop’ Breslin taking on felllow Ardara player Marty Herron and ended in a welter of excitement with Matthew Whyte and David Classon meeting in a thunderous heavyweight clash.
The boxer of the night award went to Kenneth Doherty who squared up against a much bigger opponent in Killybegs man John O’Sullivan in what proved to be the most competitive bout of the night. His trophy was presented by All-Ireland winner Paddy McGrath, a man who had initially been pencilled in to take part in Saturday night’s action.
Each bout consisted of three one and a half minute rounds with Gerard Given, who coached the participants in the finer arts of the sport over the last number of weeks, the referee.
The event schedule also included an interval performance from Ardara’s Grainne Gavigan, one of this year’s contestants on the TG4’s Glór Tíre competition.
MC for the evening was another local man Patrick McGill, Galway Bay FM, while one of the funniest parts of the night’s entertainment were the pre-fight interviews which were conducted by Joe Larry Gallagher and Frank Craig.
The night’s entertainment is another new initiative to help fund ongoing developments at Pearse Memorial Park. Chief organiser was club PRO Frank Craig.
Results
Kevin ‘Bishop Heron beat Marty Herron pts
Oisin O’Donnell beat Kevin McNern (Naomh Columba) pts
Paul Watters beat Eamon Breslin pts
Peter McHugh beat Mark Cassidy RSC
Stephen McHugh beat Stephen Boyle pts
David Conwell (Killybegs) beat Pat Gallagher RSC
Kenneth Doherty beat John O’Sullivan (Killybegs) pts
Pauric ‘Smackers’ Gallagher (Killybegs) beat Gareth Concarr pts
David Classon beat Matthew Whyte pts
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