Gallen and Kelly give the highlights as Finn Valley ABC host successful tournament

FINN VALLEY ABC hosted a night of champions last night at its Christmas Tournament in the Villa Rose Hotel.

A wide array of World, Olympic and European medallists did their thing on the Ballybofey canvas before an expectant and excited crowd.

2014 Youth Olympic silver and 2013 World Youth and Junior Championship gold medallist Ciara Ginty overcame Finn Valley’s nine-times Irish champion Austeja Auciute in the night’s main event.

Ginty’s ring use and athleticism were superb. As she doubled up her jabs, she kept Auciute on the back foot and the Geesala woman took the unanimous decision from the 64kgs contest.

Largely, though, it was a night of real success for the host club with ten wins given to the gold and black representatives.

That number included the ever-improving Leah Gallen (pictured above).

Back in May, she won her first All-Ireland when defeating Zoe McGone (Emerald ABC) to win the Girl 2 46kgs crown.

That crown was remarkably the 45th All-Ireland won by the Finn Valley ABC, only set up by Conor Quigley in 2004.

Gallen is one the rise and was excellent in overcoming Geesala’s Leah McDonagh last night. Scrapper McDonagh was kept at bay by Gallen, who showed good technique throughout the contest to chalk off her latest win.

That it came in her grandfather’s establishment was surely a moment to savour for her big crowd of supporters.

Another Finn Valley man with a big following is the always-entertaining Darren Kelly and the ‘Pocket Rocket’ didn’t disappoint last night.

In his comeback bout, his first fight in two years, the Stranorlar man – who donned the boots worn by Jason Quigley in his last fight and also the trunks worn by Quigley when he boxed in the World Series of Boxing for the LA Matadors – clicked the heels and danced to a fine win over Ballinacarrow’s Michael McGuire.

Irish champion and former European Youth bronze medallist Leon Gallagher had the edge on Kenan Gibson from Convoy in their middleweight bout in another of the big contests.