In pictures: Illies Golden Gloves toast 25th anniversary with major tournament

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The Halfway House in Burnfoot was packed to its rafters on Saturday night as Illies Golden Gloves hosted a bumper tournament to mark its 25^th anniversary.

Eighteen contests kept the audience gripped on a night when some current stars were joined by champions of the past to outline the club's contribution to the sport.

A Donegal, Ulster and Leinster select provided the opposition, but Illies punchers were dominant on the night.

Multiple Irish Colleges champion Matthew McCole overcame Templemore's James Doyle. In a light-middleweight contest, Illies southpaw McCole claimed a unanimous decision.

In January, McCole won his first Ulster Elite title when defeating Jon McConnell of Holy Trinity at the Girdwood Community Hub in Belfast.
Martin Lynch was a five-time Irish champion between 2003 and 2007. He was back here for a rousing win over Cody Lee Peoples from the Flow Academy. In a bout matched at middleweight, Lynch scored a unanimous win.

The Harkin brothers, Lee and Aaron, have three Irish titles between them and were back in the squared circle here. Although Lee lost out to Carrickmore's Ryan Haughey, Aaron defeated Martin Scully from Templemore.

Illies has become one of Donegal's most successful clubs in the just over 25 years since it was formed in September 1998. The club quickly outgrew its initial base at the old Scoil Naomh Iosaf schoolhouse.

Illies Golden Gloves has won 48 Irish titles, including Elite titles by William McLaughlin and Tyrone McCullagh. McLaughlin was also an EU silver medal winner, McCullagh a European bronze medal winner and John Moran won a bronze at the Commonwealth Youth Games.

Coach Stephen Friel coached at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi and Glasgow and Sadie Duffy has gone on to become a world-leading referee. Having refereed Katie Taylor's first ever sanctioned fight in 2001 against Alanna Audley.

Duffy is now on the referee and judges committee of the International Boxing Association (IBA).

Friel continues to coach at the club alongside Eamon Duffy, George Gormley and John Elliott.

Results – Illies Golden Gloves Tournament
Boy 1 25kgs Oisin Friel (Illies) beat Alex Gray (Dukes) 3-0
Boy 1 35kgs James Doherty (Illies) lost to Martin Corcoran (Dukes) 1-2
Girl 2 33kgs Ava Bradley (Illies) beat Isla McShane (St John Bosco) 3-0
Girl 2 42kgs Cassie Lynch (Illies) beat Claire Stocker (Loup) 3-0
Boy 3 35kgs Cormac Callaghan (Illies) beat Oskar Derelzinski (Dukes) 3-0
Girl 2 52kgs Roisin Hegarty (Illies) beat Coleen McGlynn (St John Bosco) RSC 2
Boy 3 59kgs Andrew McLaughlin (Illies) beat David Kennedy (Loup) 3-0
Boy 3 45kgs Hugh Duffy (Illies) lost to Cahir Duffy (Gilford) 1-2
Boy 3 76kgs Patrick Dohery (Illies) beat Liam Breslin (Dungloe) 3-0
Boy 4 58kgs Jake Curran (Illies) beat Conal Tredwell (Omagh) RSC 3
Senior 80kgs Brian Elliott (Illies) beat Pauric O'Donnell (Dungloe) 3-0
Junior 89kgs Oisin Dobbins (Illies) lost to Brian Stokes (Gilford) 0-3
Junior 68kgs Paul McCloskey (Illies) beat Shea Fox (Omagh) 2-1
Senior 85kgs Lee Harkin (Illies) lost to Ryan Haughey (Carrickmore) 0-3
Senior 77kgs Aaron Harkin (Illies) beat Martin Scully (Templemore) 3-0
Senior 75kgs Martin Lynch (Illies) beat Cody Lee Peoples (Flow) 3-0

Elite 67kgs Cahir Gormley (Illies) beat Tom Cash (Portlaoise) RSC 3

Elite 71kgs Matthew McCole (Illies) beat James Doyle (Templemore) 3-0