Neil Gough of St Paul's, Waterford, the most experienced campaigner in the National Senior Boxing championships, was unexpectedly involved in one of the closest semi-final contests at the National Stadium last night. Gough was a 6-4 winner over the young Arklow aspirant James Moore and he had to work hard to get that result.
The Waterford man, who at 29 is going for his seventh national title in nine years, was not too pleased with his own performance. "I have not had a competitive bout for quite some time," he said after qualifying to meet Kevin Cumiskey of Tralee in next Friday's welterweight final.
Cumiskey was far more decisive when dismissing the challenge of Patrick Walsh of Cork's St Coleman's 27-7. Cumiskey is the reigning intermediate champion and judging by his comprehensive victory over the talented Walsh he could cause Gough major problems. Gough is so intent on reaching the Sydney Olympics, however, that he has gone into full-time training and has shelved his employment.
At bantamweight Charles Nash of the Ring club in Derry was beaten 19-9 by the talented Damian McKenna of the Holy Family, Drogheda. Nash took two counts in the second and fourth rounds and his famous father, Charlie was more concerned with what he thought was poor refereeing than his son's defeat. McKenna will face William Waite of Belfast's Holy Family in next Friday's final.
Semi-Finals: Light-flyweight: H Cunningham (Saints) bt J Moore (St Francis) 20-3. Bantamweight: W Waite (Holy Family/Golden Glove) bt M Burke (Gorey) 20-8; D McKenna (Holy Family, Drogheda) bt C Nash (Ring) 19-9. Lightweight: E McEneaney (Dalgan) bt M Hobbs (Arklow) 19-4; A Carlyle (Sacred Heart) bt E Gillen (Antrim) 24-13. Welterweight: N Gough (St Paul's, Waterford) bt J Moore (Arklow) 6-4; K Cumiskey (Tralee) bt P Walsh (St Coleman's) 27-7. Middleweight: C Carmichael (Holy Trinity) bt K Walsh (St Coleman's) 19-3; I Tims (CIE) bt J Kelly (Manorhamilton) 8-6. Heavyweight: J Kiely (Corpus Christi) bt E Falvey (St Coleman's) 7-4; S Reynolds (St Joseph's, Sligo) bt J Clancy (Phoenix) 19-6.
