Matthew McCole’s bid for Colleges glory to begin next weekend

Matthew McCole begins the search for his third Irish Colleges title next weekend.

The draw for the 2022 IATBA Championships took place on Sunday afternoon.

McCole was one of five Letterkenny Institute of Technology students included in the draw.

The Illies Golden Gloves man will face Ryan Cullen in a quarter-final of the senior 67kgs division. The winner of the McCole-Cullen clash will take on Aodhan Byrne in a semi-final.

In 2020, McCole was the 69kgs champion and in 2018 he took a colleges 64kgs crown while boxing for his native Dungloe ABC.

LyIT ladies reach Moynihan Cup semi-finals

Three-point win over QUB seals place in the last four

Bryan McNamee has recently relocated his club boxing, the Convoy man training now at Raphoe ABC. A five-time Irish champion previously - two of which were colleges crowns - McNamee is in the senior 75kgs final in two weeks’ time. LyIT student McNamee will meet Jack McHugh from The Garda College.

Two-time European medalist and five-time Irish champion Leah Gallen goes at 66kgs and will box in a semi-final against Shantelle Ritchie. The Raphoe ABC woman also has Kaci Rock, Leanne Murphy and Linda Desmond for company in that division.

LyIT’s Shauna Blaney, a native of Navan, will contest the final of the senior 60kgs class. Blaney, a sister of Jason Quigley’s former amateur opponent Chris, will take on the winner of the semi-final between Isabella Hughes and Kelly McLaughlin.

LyIT’s Brenda Collins has a guaranteed title, the Dunree Boxing Club fighter taking a walkover in the youth 60kgs class.