LyIT's Matthew McCole books place in Irish Colleges final

Matthew McCole recorded two wins this weekend to seal a place in the senior 67kgs final of the 2022 IATBA Championships.

The Letterkenny Institute of Technology student saw off Aodhan Byrne (TUS Midwest) in Sunday’s semi-final at the National Stadium.

McCole took the unanimous decision from the judges to advance into Saturday’s final.

The Illies Golden Gloves welter is gunning for his third Irish Colleges title and he goes into next weekend’s final in good stead.

Before his defeat of Byrne, of the Kilcullen BC in Kildare, McCole stopped Ryan Cullen in Saturday’s quarter-final bout. With McCole having a firm command of the bout, the referee stepped in to call a halt in the second round.

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The referee stepped in to call a half in the second round with McCole well on top of things.

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

The finals take place next Saturday with Damien Creavin (GMIT and Olympic BC) set to face the Donegal puncher.

McCole is one of three LyIT boxers who will be in finals action next Saturday.

Navan woman Shauna Blaney a native of Navan, will contest the final of the senior 60kgs class against Isabella Hughes while Bryan McNamee is gearing up for a final against Jack McHugh from The Garda College.

LyIT’s Brenda Collins has a guaranteed title, the Dunree Boxing Club fighter taking a walkover in the youth 60kgs class while three-time European medalist Leah Gallen had to withdraw.