Double delight for Offaly as Walsh and Kennedy are crowned national champions

Offaly has two new national elite boxing champions, after Tullamore's Gráinne Walsh and Daingean's Brian Kennedy came out on top in two closely-contested finals in Belfast last night (Thursday)

The wins represent a major boost to both boxers' chances of being selected for the upcoming world championships, run by the World Boxing governing body, which take place in Liverpool in September.

At the finals in Belfast last night, Paris Olympian Gráinne Walsh faced a tough challenge in the form of Kaci Rock, an accomplished 23-year-old who has won eight national titles at various age grades.

The 29-year-old Tullamore woman produced a high-quality display to take the 65kg national elite title on a 4-1 split decision.

And her fellow Offaly boxer Kennedy, who represents the St Brigid's club in Edenderry, also found himself in a battle in the 85kg final against Jason Clancy (Sean McDermott BC, Leitrim),

Kennedy, who was selected for the Irish team at an international event against Austria earlier this year, also emerged victorious on a 4-1 split decision.

It was his second national title success in less than a year, after he earned the title in the 86kg weight category at Dublin's National Stadium last November.

It was a successful national elite tournament for the Midlands in general, with Roscommon sisters Lisa and Aoife O'Rourke being crowned as the country's best in their respective 70kg and 75kg weight categories (Aoife O'Rourke's title coming by a walkover).

Westmeath's Patsy Joyce, of the Olympic club in Mullingar, also became a national champion, winning a unanimous decision in his 55kg final against Ben Molloy of Dublin club Edenmore BC.