UlsterNet.co.uk

Dungannon schools dominate in finals

Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Gold medalist, Calum Moore on the right with other medal winners in his group. SC03312

EIGHT local students took part in the Irish Schools Judo Finals in Dublin at the weekend and all eight won medals including four gold.
The eight who are members of the Ren Bu Kan club in Dungannon and were representing their schools as well as Ulster had qualified by being finalists in the Ulster Schools competition.
The finalists from each category in the other three provinces also qualified which meant in each weight you had the best eight young judoka in Ireland.
Eight-year-old Eva Corr was first up and reproduced the form she showed when she won the Irish Open a couple of months ago to easily clinch the gold medal.
Her brother Niall, also Irish Open champion, started well but came unstuck in the semi-final when he suffered an unexpected defeat to the young Galway lad that he had beaten in the Irish Open final and had to settle for bronze.
Eight-year-old Calum Moore put in a fantastic performance to win all his fights and the gold medal.
Twelve-year-old Tiffany McDonald and eleven year old Aine McNulty had both qualified from the same weight category in the Ulster final and once again the two Dungannon judoka met in the final and Aine must be wondering what she has to do to beat Tiffany as the young Moygashel girl came out on top again.
Twelve-year-old Brian McNulty got to the semi final but lost here and had to be content with the bronze.
Sixteen-year-old Almantas Masaitis done well to get to the final of his category and will be unhappy to have been caught with an easy throw, however, the silver medal helped to ease the pain while his fellow Lithuanian countryman Mindaugus Vaskevicius caused a huge upset by defeating Irish Open champion Grahame Malley in his first fight.
Mindaugus went on to win the gold medal.
Incidentally Grahame Malley is the nephew of the two most famous members ever of the Ren Bu Kan club, Avril and Joyce Malley from Killyman. Grahame is the son of their brother Marcus who lives in the Lurgan direction.
Full results and schools:
Gold medals
Eva Corr Edendork Primary
Tiffany McDonald Royal School Dungannon
Calum Moore Gaelscoil Ui Neill Coalisland
Midaugus Vaskevicius St Patricks College Dungannon
Silver medals
Aine McNulty St Patrick's Academy Dungannon
Almantas Masaitis St Patrick's College Dungannon
Bronze medals
Niall Corr Edendork Primary
Brian McNulty St Patrick's Academy
For details on how to join the Ren Bu Kan judo club contact coach Harry McGuigan on 07779245925 or hrenbukan@hotmail.com .

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