The Erne Boxing Club triumphantly returned from the Louth Open championships in Dundalk with a cluster of medals including five gold and one silver to match their achievements from the previous year. However, due to a withdrawal of one opponent they only had two boxers in competitive action on finals day.

The action got underway with Lena Fox making her competitive ring debut in the Girl 3 (Under 14’s) 46kgs final against Nicole McCabe (O’Hanlon Park BC). Fox started at a blistering pace and was the aggressor from the outset catching her opponent with some heavy shot early on but as the round progressed, McCabe’s smart boxing took over and one good shot late on opened a cut on Fox’s lip.

The second session followed a similar pattern with Fox firing heavy punches from the start and McCabe coming back with neat counters. After a good flurry from McCabe and with the cut lip worsening the referee called a halt to the contest resulting in Fox having to settle for a well-earned silver medal.

Harris Crowley scored his third victory of the competition with a unanimous points win over Conall Treanor (Dealgan BC) in the Boy 2 (Under 13’s) 39kgs final. Treanor started fast and aggressively but Crowley boxed with poise to catch his oncoming opponent with neat jab and right-crosses.

In the second and third rounds Crowley upped the tempo and in addition to scoring with the cleaner punches outworked his very game opponent to register a clear points victory and win the Louth Open championship for the second consecutive year.

The Erne Boxing Club had a third combatant in action; Aaron Burns had to withdraw from the Louth Open competition as it clashed with his County Board match in Mayo last week but got the opportunity to box his prospective quarter-final opponent Alan Kelly-Gartland (Dealgan BC) in an exhibition contest.

Kelly was very aggressive throughout this lively contest throwing looping hooks from both hands but Burns was defensively astute blocking well before responding with well-placed straight punches. All three rounds were extremely close and had the contest been judged it would have been an extremely close call to decide the winner.

The Erne Boxing Club was hoping to have a fourth boxer in action but Kaci Crowley claimed the Girl 1 (Under 12’s) 42kgs title by walkover when her opponent Paula McCarry (Rathfriland BC) withdrew from the contest having lost to the Erne favourite previously.

The three other Erne Boxing Club titlists included Linda Greene Girl 3 (Under 14’s) 31kgs, John Stokes Boy 3 (Under 14’s) 33kgs and Mark Monaghan Boy 4 (Under 15’s) 57kgs.

Erne Boxing Club coach Sean Crowley commented, “We had three very good performances. Lena Fox showed a lot of heart and determination but simply was second best on the day but I feel she still has a bright future and will be better for the experience.

"Aaron Burns continues to show improvement, it was a very good defensive display from him and that area of weakness that he’s been working on and the improvement was evident.

"Full kudos to Harris, Three wins in a week all against naturally bigger and decent opposition deserves a special mention and a massive well done.

"The club, although disappointed to earn four titles without competition, are still delighted and proud of all the work put in by our boxers and to again be returning from a tough competition with five gold and one silver medals which is a notable achievement.”

The Erne Boxing Club advises that the month of December promises to also be equally as busy, with three boxers and possibly more competing for the Tyrone & Fermanagh County Board team in Donegal, several boxers entering the Meath Open championships as well host a boxing tournament of their own later in the month.