What a weekend of boxing we had at the National Stadium in Dublin as our 3 lads through to the finals on Saturday brought back 3 gold medals, what an achievement by these lads. On the Friday night Cian and Cormac were in the semi finals with Cormac up first, but about an hour before the contest Mike Walsh from St. Mary’s pulled out giving Cormac his ticket to the final. So it was Cian’s chance to get his ticket to the final against Jason Mullally from St. Joseph’s and from the off Cian was on fire landing massive right hands and left hooks giving the ref no choice but to stop the fight as Mullally was just not able to deal with the power of the big man and so Cian was now in the final against Shane Ward who was going to be a very different opponent. It was an early night on the Friday night as all 3 had to make the weigh in on Saturday morning with Mike up first in the squared circle against Kieran McDonagh from Baldoyle. From the first bell Mike, took control behind his jab and one’twos and kept the Dublin lad off and stopping him from working inside so after 3 rounds it was our man big Mike who was crowned all Ireland champion. Congratulations Mike from all of us in the club. So one down and two to go and it was the big man from Rooskagh who was looking for his 5th title in a row and standing in his way was a tough man from Cavan, Gary Maughan. From the off Cormac was trying to get behind his jab and one two’s but it wasn’t going to plan and found himself down a point after the first so plans had to be changed for round 2. These weren’t working and he was still behind after the 2nd so it was all to do in the last. What a round it was as Long had to call on all his experience, putting the pressure on his man and not giving him an inch and at the end was victorious 9 points to 6 is now the proud holder of 5 national titles. What an achievement and what a record and congrats from all of us in the club. Then it was Cian’s chance and what pressure must have been on his shoulders as his two team mates had gold medals round their necks but this lad just thinks pressures is for tyres. We was up against one of the toughest lads in Ireland in Shane Ward from Galway but it didn’t faze him. He said “I’ve beaten the number one fighter in the quarter final, Aaron Kelly, a holder of 6 national titles and had never been beaten in Ireland until he met me, so there’s no pressure on me now. I’m going to do my best and that’s it and by God did he fight and what a scrap it was with both lads giving there all in the first and squared it even 2 all Cian upped it in the second landing accurate shots and was up 6 points to 4 after the 2nd but it wasn’t won yet and what a last round it was with both lads giving everything they had and got a raptur-ous applause from the crowd. You could hear a pin drop as we waited for the score and the winner was our man 8 points to 7 and he brought the hat trick of gold medals to the club. Well done to all our boxers and not forgetting our coaches who put in endless hours with these lads and without them none of this would be possible so thanks to everyone involved. This week we have 3 more lads looking for gold. Seán Malone and the twin Hartys will be in action, so more news on all this next week. Also thanks to the Courtenay Lodge Hotel for holding a disco for us last Saturday night and to Shiv Kelly the DJ on the night for blasting out the tunes.