Camlough Boxing Club celebrates All-Ireland success

St. Malachy’s Amateur Boxing Club in Camlough is celebrating the most successful season in its eight-year history after two of the club’s young boxers triumphed at last weekend’s All-Ireland amateur boxing competition in Dublin’s National Stadium.

Twelve-year-old Shea Dowdall beat out stiff competition in the 44 kilos category to be crowned All-Ireland champion, while his clubmate Stephen Mulholland (14) took first place in the Cadets 46 kilos section.

On the back of their success, the boys took time out of the celebrations to speak to The Examiner about their win and what it means to them personally and to their club.

 Shea Dowdall

 Shea lives on the Ferryhill Road in Killean and it was his cousin’s participation in boxing that led him to become interested in the sport just three years ago.

Since then, he has risen through the ranks with surprising speed, winning competitions at all levels.  His All-Ireland win last weekend means he is undefeated this season, which he is extremely proud of.

Despite success in Nine Counties, mid-Ulster and Ulster over the last three years, the ultimate All-Ireland title has previously eluded Shea, but growing in confidence with every fight, he met this year’s challenge with great determination.

“This time I was very nervous after the quarter final and semi-final,” he said.  “I kept thinking I was one step closer to winning the All-Ireland.  When I finally won the All-Ireland, I was delighted.  It means everything to me.”

A Year 9 student at St. Paul’s High School in Bessbrook, Shea’s sporting prowess is not confined to the boxing ring as he has also enjoyed success in cross-country running.  He plays Gaelic and soccer but says his priority is boxing.

On a normal week, he trains three nights but coming up to competitions this increases to five nights, with an odd early morning jog before school.  He also endures restrictions to his diet to ensure he remains at the correct weight for the competition.

“Sometimes if I weigh heavier, I have to watch what I eat,” he said.  “I have to eat salads and not have any sweets.

As with any young lad his age, Shea said he found this tough, “but it was worth it,” he added.

Having tasted ultimate success, Shea now feels he would like to take a rest for a while before returning to training when the next season begins later this year.

 Stephen Mulholland

St. Malachy’s second success in the All-Ireland competition was claimed by fourteen-year-old Stephen Mulholland from the Quarter Road in Camlough, who won the National Irish Senior Cadets 46 kilo category.

Although slightly apprehensive at competing at such high level, the teenager says he was confident of success.  “There’s no point going into the ring not being confident,” he said.

Asked what this award means to him, Stephen said, “I am over the moon about it.  My dream now is to go on and fight for Ireland. Because I’ve won this competition, I think I could have a good chance of getting picked.”

Stephen was just eight years old when his older brother first introduced him to boxing.

“I went to the club with him a couple of nights and I enjoyed it, so I just kept going back,” he said.

Like Shea, Stephen was also training five nights a week approaching the competition, but this has now been reduced to three.

Expressing his desire to be the best, Stephen said he enjoys training as much as competing.  “You have to train hard to win things.  You see the rewards whenever you do it.”

Along with the thrice-weekly training session with his club, Stephen now trains with the Irish squad in Dublin every Saturday.  It’s from these sessions, that he hopes one day to be picked to box for his country in international competitions.  His ultimate ambition is to box professionally.

Like his clubmate, Stephen has achieved success at every level and this latest win has left him wanting more.

On Thursday evening last, he had the opportunity to appear as an under card in the Ulster Seniors Supporting Bout tournament held in the Ulster Hall in Belfast. This is widely regarded as a very significant event in the boxing calendar and an excellent achievement for Stephen and St. Malachy’s that he was selected.

“I’m really happy to be on the bill for it,” he said

 Both boys are coached by Stephen’s father, Marty, who is understandably extremely proud of his protégés. He said their achievement is all the more wonderful as St. Malachy’s is such a small club, having just twenty members.

Marty’s dedication to the sport is evident as he spends five nights a week training with the boys and then travels to squad training and tournaments at weekends.

This level of commitment such as this that has made St. Malachy’s ABC the district’s most successful boxing club overall this season.

Club mentor, John Curley, paid tribute to the hard work and dedication from the youngest members right through to the management.  He explained that the young boxers have been successful at every competition they have entered this year and have also represented their club at boxing tournaments in England.

John says to now have Stephen on the international panel is a great boost for the club and gives the younger members something to aspire to.

With such commitment and dedication from the coaches right down to the youngest members of the club, there is little doubt that St. Malachy’s will go on to taste even further success in the not-too-distant future.