Egan 'a bit rusty' but eases through

KEN EGAN’S first competitive fight since he won the silver medal last year in the Beijing Olympic Games was his first move towards a record ninth successive title last night in the National Stadium. The Neilstown light heavyweight has not been in the ring for six months, but even some way off Olympic pace he eased his way into another final.

The 27-year-old was the headline act and one of three Olympians on show at the semi-final stages of the National Senior Championships. Having received a bye at the quarter-final stage, Egan faced Grangecon’s Denis Hogan, a fighter who he knows well.

The south paw and Hogan had sparred with each other in Spain last month during an Irish training camp. That didn’t prevent Egan piling up the points after a slow start that, nonetheless, had him 5-1 up after the first round. Hogan earned just one point in the second round and another in the third as Egan romped home to a 16-3 win. He had wanted to go through the whole championships without conceding a point. That’s gone but there was still a smile.

“I was feeling a bit sluggish. It’s my first three-minute fight,” he said afterwards. “The Olympics were four two-minute rounds. I was a bit rusty but I stuck to my game-plan. I didn’t do any thing fancy. A win is a win in my book.”

John Joe Nevin was the first of the three Olympians on last night’s card, his 54kg bout with Tyrone McCullough of Buncrana opening the evening, after Conor Ahern was given a walkover when Neil Walker failed to make the weight in the 51kg division. The bantamweight title holder, who won his first senior title 12 months ago, made his exit from the Beijing Olympics to the eventual gold medallist, but last night looked assured and confident against his Donegal opponent.

While a tentative start had him just 3-1 ahead after the first round, McCullough went looking for Nevin in the second. But better movement and some tidy shots that picked him off had Nevin 7-4 ahead going into the final three minutes.

While McCullough was awarded two points as the Cavan fighter dropped his head in the final round, the Olympian turned up the pressure and comfortably came through 16-6 for a place in next week’s final.

Light welterweight John Joe Joyce suffered the same fate as Nevin in the Olympics. The 21-year-old is seeking his fourth successive crown and last night’s win over Michael McLoughlin was an impressive beginning. Businesslike, Joyce led the fight from the bell, steadily increased the pressure and saved the best for last. Leading 10-5 going into the final three minutes, Joyce convincingly advanced to final 17-7.

David Oliver Joyce, John Joe’s cousin, didn’t have it all his own way against Carlow’s Dermot Lawlor in the featherweight division. The gold medal winner from last year’s European Union Championships in Poland finally came through to make the final 9-5 but not before a spirited display by Lawlor. Joyce is chasing a hat-trick of 57kg titles.

The shock of the night arrived in the 69kg division, where Roy Sheahan was beaten by Willie McLoughlin. Sheahan was looking for his fourth title in succession, but lost 7-5.

National Senior Championships:51Kg - C Ahern (Baldoyle) bt N Walker (Dockers) walkover; 54Kg - JJ Nevin (Cavan) bt T McCullough (Illies); 57Kg - D Joyce (St Michaels Athy) bt Dermot Lawlor (Carlow) 9-5; 60Kg - R Hickey (Grangecon) bt C bates (St Marys Dublin) 9-6; 64Kg -JJ Joyce (St Michaels Athy) bt M McLoughlin (Carndonagh) 17-7; 69Kg – W McLoughlin (Illies) bt R Sheahan (St Michaels Athy) 7-5; 75Kg-S O'Reilly (Twin Towns) bt D Joyce (St Michaels Athy) 9-2; 81Kg-K Egan (Neilstown) bt D Hogan (Grangecon) 16-3; 91Kg – C Sheehan (Clonmel) bt J Sweeney (Drimnagh) 7-6; 91 + Kg - J Joyce (Moate) bt A Crampton (St Bronaghs) 9-8.