There was a sensational end to the long-delayed National light welterweight championship at the National Stadium in Dublin last night when Sean Barrett from the Rylane Club in Cork came from behind to beat Francie Barrett from Olympic in Galway.
At the end of the third round, in which both boxers had slugged it out from the start, the Cork boxer was three points adrift on a score of 7-4; but he managed to turn the contest in his favour in the final round to win by nine points to eight.
The fighters waded into each other in a completely uncompromising manner from the start. The first round ended at 3-1 in favour of the Galway man, and after the second, in which both fighters became involved in some wrestling, he led 4-2. In the third the man who had captained the Irish Olympic team in Atlanta gained the initiative with some good right crosses to the head and body and went three points ahead - only to lose the last as the decibel level rose in the stadium.
Three of the five judges for the bout were from Sweden, but the international between Ireland and Sweden was a disappointment as Ireland lost by four bouts (3-7), losing all five of heavier contests.
International Match (Ireland lost to Sweden, 3-7, Irish names first): Flyweight: L Cunningham bt H Alem 14-8; Bantam: D McKenna lost to M Jelil 5-9; Feather: T Carlyle bt T Lungberg 5-2; Light: A Carlyle bt S Jamegar 137; Light welter: P McCloskey lost to Michael Yikealo 6-9; Welter: K Cumiskey lost to T Acar 10-4; Middle: C Carmicheal lost to T Carlsson 7-5; Light heavy: A Reynolds lost to G Alvarez 11-6; Heavy: S Reynolds lost to K Turkson stpd rnd two; Super Heavy: J Kinsella lost to J Thorbjornsson 17-9.
National Light Welterweight final: S Barrett (Rylane, Cork) bt F Barrett (Olympic, Galway) 98.
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