Sport

Back in the day: in The Irish News on Jan 27 1997: Tohill clan in action on football and camogie fronts

Boxers from the North claim a hard-earned 5-4 victory over Dublin in second annual Irish News boxing promotion at the Balmoral&nbsp;Hotel in Black&rsquo;s Road, Belfast. <br />Kevin Maxwell, of Belfast Dockers, and Dublin&rsquo;s Jamie Hilton are pictured (above right) during their fast and furious bout. <br />Dubliner James Conlon is pictured (above top left) getting some last minute advice from his coach, while (above bottom left) Belfast&rsquo;s Jimmy McComb evades a right to the head from Dubliner Darren Jordan. <br />McComb boxed brilliantly to take the decision on points and had his hand raised in triumph by Belfast referee Brendan Lowe.
Boxers from the North claim a hard-earned 5-4 victory over Dublin in second annual Irish News boxing promotion at the Balmoral Hotel in Black’s Road, Belfast.
Kevin Maxwell, of Belfast Dockers, and Dublin’s Jamie Hilton are pictured
Boxers from the North claim a hard-earned 5-4 victory over Dublin in second annual Irish News boxing promotion at the Balmoral Hotel in Black’s Road, Belfast.
Kevin Maxwell, of Belfast Dockers, and Dublin’s Jamie Hilton are pictured (above right) during their fast and furious bout.
Dubliner James Conlon is pictured (above top left) getting some last minute advice from his coach, while (above bottom left) Belfast’s Jimmy McComb evades a right to the head from Dubliner Darren Jordan.
McComb boxed brilliantly to take the decision on points and had his hand raised in triumph by Belfast referee Brendan Lowe.

DOWN chalked up their second victory in the Hastings Cup U21 football competition with this impressive win over a big and very strong Sligo side at Pairc an Uir Newry on Saturday.

Down won because they had a very strong defence in which half-backs Ciaran McLaughlin, Barry Kelly and Simon Poland starred, with Paul Sloan very impressive at corner-back. Goalkeeper Peter Travers brought off three great saves and gave his fellow defenders confidence. Midfield cancelled each other out with no advantage to either side, although

Sean Ward for Down and Dessie Sloyne for Sligo impressed most.

In attack Declan Burns was a real star but despite the hard work of Stephen Caulfield and the free taking of Conor Daly the attack lacked penetration and cohesion. Mickey Moran, the former Derry manager now in charge at Sligo, used six second half substitutes but overall his side failed to get to grips with the game.

Down complete their Hastings Cup programme on Saturday in Ballinamore when they play Leitrim.



Down: P Travers; P Sloan, J Morgan, C McConville, C McLaughlin, B Kelly, S Poland (0-1), S Ward, E Woods, D McCartan, P McShane (0-2), D Burns (0-2), C Daly (0-2), M McGeown, S Caulfield (0-2).


Subs: R Mussen (0-1) for D McCartan, K Doyle for C McConville. 

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ST MARY’S, Magherafelt will contest a fifth successive Ulster Schools’ Camogie Championship final after a 1-5 to 1-4 win in yesterday’s energy-sapping semi-final replay in Bellaghy.

As in the previous week, Aileen Tohill fired home a late goal but it was not enough to rescue her side.

In the first half, St Mary’s had the more clear-cut chances but found goalie Bernie Mellon in fine form and the superb Eilis O’Neill fired over two late points to tie the scores at the break, 0-3 each.

Eilis O’Neill and Simone Forbes caught the eye for St Mary’s and Louise McCloskey and Claire McNicholl prominent for the losers.

St Mary’s: Claire O’Kane, Martina McGuckin, Orla Donnelly, Orla Forbes, Catherine McCann, Simone Forbes (0-1), Eilis O’Neill (0-4) (capt), Maura McAuley, Triona McAteer, Brid Mulholland (1-0), Bernadine Quinn, Catherine Pickering.

Subs: Maoliosa Shivers for M McAuley.

St Patrick’s: Bernie Mellon, Brenda McGuckin, Grainne Duffy, Paula McAtamney, Bernie O’Loughlin, Aileen Tohill (1-0), Claire Doherty (0-1) (capt), Louise McCloskey (0-1), Claire McNicholl, Shauna McCaul (0-2), Miriam Kealey, Eilis McPeake.

Referee: Leona Fay (Eglish).

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PAUL Higgins has confirmed to the Down management that he won’t be available for the Ulster Championship.

It is unlikely that he will be considered for the latter stages of the National League.

Another blow for Down is the reported breakdown in training of Barry Breen, who recently underwent an operation on his foot but is believed to have suffered a reaction in midweek training.

Breen now joins long-term absentees Gregory McCartan and Miceal Magill on the injured list.

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IRISH athletes enjoyed a successful weekend at the British Indoor Championships in Birmingham.

Three titles were taken across the Irish Sea while there were a host of medal winners.

Ireland had a 1, 2, 3 in the men’s 800 metres with UCD’s James Nolan holding off a determined charge from Ballymena and Antrim’s Eddie King.

Nolan won in 1.49.42 – 2/100 of a second ahead of King who appeared to be slightly impeded on the final bend.

The Irish clean sweep was completed by Daniel Caulfield. Annadale’s Richard Girvan also reached the final of thee 800 metres. BLE representative Mark Mandy cleared 2.22 metres to win the high jump.

His Irish team mate Antoine Burke claimed the bronze with 2.18 metres.