Five National U18 Championships Finals to Watch out for

One of the most talent-packed National Youth [Under-18] Championships the National Stadium has hosted draws to a close tomorrow. 

Over the last few weeks, an abundance of talents have strutted their stuff at the home of Irish boxing and shown the future is most certainly bright for the sport on this island. 

Indeed, so deep is the talent pool domestically, that to become an Irish champion you most likely have to emerge from a field that includes decorated international fighters. 

It’s led to a sensational Saturday of fantastic finals. 26 new champions at under- 18 level to be crowned between 11am and- 4pm with 22 finals to be contested. 

Each final is exciting in its own right and there is something to take from every decider. However, we’ve picked out some which stand out to us. 

54kg Caoimhe Kinsella (St Anthonys/Pats) V Niamh Keogh (Olympic L)

This super bantamweight final is the perfect example of a world-class bout being contested at a national level.

 Two of the best young talents in European underage boxing go head to head for the right to be called champion of their country. 

Caoimhe Kinsella of St. Anthony’s & St. Patrick’s Boxing Club in Enniscorthy won gold at the European Schoolgirls Championship in Tbilisi in 2019 while Olympic Mullingar’s Niamh Keogh excited her way to a European Junior silver medal in Italy last year.

Finals don’t get much better.

54kg Martin McDonagh (Avona) V Anton Genocky (Dublin Docklands)

The male super-bantamweight contest is equally as exciting.

Martin McDonagh and Anton Genocky may not have the International honours their 54kg female counterparts boast but are two talented prospects that meet in a final not to be missed. 

In fact, this is the amateur equivalent of what is known as a trade fight in the pros. 

It’s a good old school inner-city derby and a meeting of the man who beat the man and the man who has so often been the man at other weight classes.

McDonagh of Avona defeated reigning champion Jack Harkin, who knocked out then reigning champ Adam McKenna en route to his 2022 title win, in his semi-final, while decorated kickboxer ‘Rocky’ Genocky is a six-time Irish champion looking to make that seven in his first year as a youth.  

60kg Ryan Jenkins (Olympic L) V Roy Colgan (Avona)

Ryan Jenkins versus Roy Colgan is another fight those in the know are predicting will entertain on Saturday. 

Both fighters feel at home at the home of Irish boxing and know what it’s like to win Irish titles in the famous ring. 

Both are also Irish internationals, Jekings having fought at the 2022 Euro Juniors and reigning champion Colgan is a European Schoolboys medal winner who most recently represented Ireland at the 2022 Euro Youths.

67kg Malo Davis (Monkstown D) V Tadhg O’Donnell (Four Kings)

Viral internet star Tadhg O’Donnell will be looking to win his first youth title tomorrow but faces a battle-hardened and extremely motivated Malo Davis at the National Stadium making for an intriguing final.

Greystone’s native O’Donnell proved himself a huge talent went he all but cantered to European Junior gold last year and secured a degree of ‘fame’ outside the boxing world when a video of his school giving him a guard of honour went viral. He was fancied to do well going into this tournament and has proved himself under-18 ready with three wins.

However, Davis has also secured three wins and is a fighter experienced at this level who has really found form, meaning it’s a final to watch out for.  

 92+kg Adam Olaniyan (Jobstown) V Brandon McKelvie (Ledley Hall)

There is always a degree of hype surrounding the big men – and this year’s super heavyweight decider is no different. 

Adam Olaniyan versus Brandon McKelvie is a meeting of two decorated boxing giants not to be missed. 

Olyaniyan, whose brother Joshua was an Elite finalist this year, caught the attention when winning European Schools gold and won an army of fans when he suffered a controversial defeat at the medal stage of European Juniors.  

He is certainly one for future but so too is Ledley Hall’s McKelvie who has an Irish Junior title to his name as well as a number of provincial crowns. 

Could this be the birth of a new Irish heavyweight rivalry?