Boxers in All-Ireland Finals

          Two boxers from the Loughrea Boxing Club competed in the All-Ireland Boys Championships at the National Stadium Dublin. In the Boy1 44Kg division, Conall Whelan was drawn in a quarter final against the Leinster champion Nicholas Cullen from Ballagh in Co. Wexford. Whelan was having only his second competitive bout and was by far the most inexperienced of the six in that weight division. Whelan started well against Cullen but after a sluggish second round was behind by five points to four. A gutsy last round gave Whelan a deserved victory on a score of ten points to seven. Next day at the semi final stage, he faced up to the Dublin champion Karl Boland from the inner city club Dublin Docklands. Boland had big height and reach advantage and used this well to lead on a score of five to nil going into the last round. Once again Whelan gave it his all and won the last round putting his taller opponent on the retreat. He was unable to pull back the lead and lost on a score of five points to two. In the Boy 2 33Kg division Martin Lawrence boxed the Ulster champion Sean McCombe from the Holy Trinity club in Belfast. Lawrence was having a great year and was unbeaten in his five contests. McCoombe was a tall southpaw and used his counter punching and fast footwork to frustrate Lawrence. Lawrence carried the bout to the elusive McCoombe but in the end lost on a score of nine points to three.
          In the Youth Championships Pat Mongan was flying the flag once again for the club. Pat had been suffering from a lingering bout of flu since the Co. Galway championships and was entering the championships not fully fit.