FIRST stop Dublin, then full blast for Belarus and a European journey with a medal stage at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur as the final destination.
That’s the 1998 travel plan mapped out by bouncy little Belfast light flyweight James ‘Jimbo’ Rooney, who last month captured Smithwick’s Ulster title number two.
The two-fisted ring terrier from the Star ABC in the north of the city is one of four Ulster boxers who start the defence of their All-Ireland titles at the National Stadium in Dublin tomorrow night.
And the 19-year-old roofer by trade is aiming sky-high with his short term sights set on a second straight Irish champion citation and a 48 kilos berth at the European Senior event in Minsk in May.
“I’m going down to Dublin to defend my title, that’s the only way to get to the Europeans and I mean to get there,” said Rooney.
“If I manage to qualify for Europe it will give me a lot more experience when the Commonwealths come around in September.
“The Irish championships hold the key to all my plans.”
Rooney lost out for a European spot in earlier qualifying rounds in Romania - a result which his coach Micky Corr “will never understand” – and Liverpool.
“But he was brilliant for Ireland against Canada when he beat the Commonwealth bronze medallist,” said Corr.
“He’s still only a baby at this game.”
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THE television rights to the Ulster Championship may be shared this year between the BBC and UTV for the first time.
Both broadcasting companies are still locked in negotiations with the Ulster Council, and neither side is ruling out the possibility of sharing the coverage of the Championship.
A deal which would see the broadcasting houses screen the championship in alternate years is one of the most likely options to be discussed at a meeting later this month, and a BBC spokesman last night admitted a joint deal could be on the cards.
“We currently have a three-year deal with UTV for Irish League soccer, and that has worked out very well,” he said.
“It is the sports fans who have benefitted from it and a similar agreement could be worked out for gaelic games.”
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THE sons of two former great Fermanagh footballers have been drafted into Erne hurling boss Donal McShea’s squad.
Fermanagh are unbeaten in the Oireachtas Shield competition and McShea has called in talented Enniskillen minors Aidan McGinnity and Darren Lunny to his panel. McGinnity’s father, Peter, was Fermanagh’s only Allstar and Lunny captained the Ernesiders to victory over Donegal in the Dr McKenna Cup in 1977.
The full panel is: E Keyes, D Deazley, J McGoldrick, R McGinn, P Farry, L Mimnagh, P Gilmurray, J McCusker, S McCusker, O McShea, S Duffy, A McPhillips, G Murphy, N Murphy, B Johnston, P O’Donnell, S O’Donnell, R O’Donnell, D Curran, J McManus, C McManus, G Monaghan, B McKeogh, K Bradshaw, M Curran, S Jackman, M Keogh, D Lunny, R McCluskey, S McCluskey, G Clarke, S Connolly, N Carty, A McGinnity and K McKeogh.
