Magic Matthew McCole banishes old ghosts to win Irish Elite title

Matthew McCole can finally attest that good things do indeed come to those who wait.

McCole was crowned the Irish Elite light-middleweight champion on Thursday night in Belfast.

The Illies Golden Gloves southpaw finally shot down his old adversary Eugene McKeever at the Girdwood Community Hub to get his hands on the prize.

The Dungloe man becomes Donegal’s 18th Irish Elite champion and is the first man from the county to hold the light-middleweight crown since Ballyshannon’s Paddy Doherty, who won back-to-back titles in 1970 and 1971.

McCole has hit the crossbar several times at this level, but not now.

The only surprise, perhaps, was that the final verdict was a split decision, albeit a 4-1, in favour of the west Donegal ace, for McCole was the dominant figure over nine memorable minutes.

The 26-year-old, a student at ATU Donegal, was the Irish Senior (intermediate) champion back in 2019 and has won six Irish Colleges titles.

This, though, was the one he craved and victory will put him firmly in the frame fort the World Boxing World Championships, which take place in Liverpool in September. 

McCole booked his final spot when beating JoJo McArdle from the Holy Trinity ABC on Tuesday night.

McCole wasn’t leaving without the title this time and he was handed a unanimous decision to take the win over McKeever, who beat another Illies puncher, Cahir Gormley, in his semi-final.

In four previous bouts, McKeveer had the upper hand, but McCole has been on fire lately.

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He won on his senior international debut last month when he defeated Austria’s Rahman Altamirov in Enniskillen.

McCole, a seven-time Irish champion through his career, stopped Altamirov in the second round.

In 1970, Doherty defeated Sean Harty to win the Irish light-middleweight title, retaining it a year later thanks to a win over Eddie Heyden.