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West of Ireland judo youth championships 2006

The 3rd West of Ireland Youth Championships were held at the Galway Lawn Tennis Club at the weekend and were hosted by the Galway Judo Club. From the outset in 2004 the event has become the premier junior competition outside of the All Irelands.

The standard of Judo has definitely risen and the number of players has doubled over 2 years ago. All 4 provinces were represented but the West of Ireland clubs won the bulk of the medals. The investment in resources and support put in by Kevin Lally, who coaches a number of clubs and schools and by Leonoid Popovich who coaches Glenamaddy is very evident.

The Annaghdown Judo Club took a good haul of medals but as the players are getting older they are beginning to find the going much tougher. Nowhere was this more evident than in Hubert Creaven’s fight with Darragh Ward of Clondalkin. Although Hubert technically a more gifted player he wasn’t able to finish off the Dubliner in a cracking final.

Michael Greaney from the Galway Judo Club continued the form he showed last year by not just winning but giving a complete performance in winning the <37kg event.

Anthony McDonagh also of Galway Judo Club at last struck gold. He has been an annual “bridesmaid” for so long that nobody would begrudge his gold medal except possibly the runner up, Shane Murphy also of Galway Judo Club.

Gavin O’Connell who has only recently started judo represented the Renmore Judo Club and took the gold medal much to the surprise of not just Kevin Lally his coach, but his father Ger, who for several years was a stalwart of the great Corinthinians sides of 70’s and 80’s.

David Connolly of the Castlegar Judo Club took silver, which by his standards represents a loss, but he nevertheless had 3 good wins.

Within a few years all of these young players will be dominating senior Judo all over the country, should they maintain their progress.

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