Smithfield’s Ciara Walsh claims national boxing title
Smithfield Boxing Club’s Ciara Walsh etched her name in Irish boxing history earlier this month by defeating Crumlin’s Courtney Daly via split decision for the 48kg Women’s National Elite Title.
From the opening bell, Walsh made her intentions clear, charging to the centre of the ring to dictate the range and pace of where the bout took place.
Despite being the shorter fighter, Walsh used sharp head movement and tricky feints to keep her adversary guessing, slipping inside the Crumlin fighter’s range, and countering effectively with crisp hooks to both the body and head of Daly.
Walsh’s most significant strikes of the opening round came through a precise one-two as Daly tried to close the gap and establish her own striking range.
Daly managed to land solid straights and jabs from range, but Walsh’s wiry defence and relentless pressure kept the Smithfield fighter in control as she came out the better of striking exchanges from inside.
The start of the second round mirrored the first, with Walsh once again taking to the centre of the ‘squared circle’ stamping her authority on the pace of the fight.
Daly, adjusting to Walsh’s aggression, tried to establish her jab once more to keep the Smithfield fighter at bay, with Daly’s approach leading to a tense opening exchange, with both fighters trading blows, a slip from Walsh briefly halted the action.
Back to her feet, undeterred by the slip, Walsh surged back into the fray, initiating a gritty toe-to-to exchange in the clinch, with Daly landing illegal blows to the back of Walsh’s head, earning the Crumlin boxer a warning from the referee.
As the round progressed, Walsh entered her stride, landing precise counter right hands over the top of Daly’s guard, along with a “Tyson-esque” barrage of hooks to both the body and head of Daly, drawing a great response from the crowd inside The National Stadium.
Despite setting the pace from early on, Walsh didn’t let complacency creep in during the final round, with the Smithfield striker methodically waiting for Daly to commit with strikes from range before slipping, and countering from the inside.
While her looping hooks and jabs from the outside didn’t always find their mark, Walsh’s controlled aggression and calculated counters kept Daly on the defensive.
In a dramatic climax, both fighters stood toe-to-toe in the centre of the ring, trading looping strikes to the delight of the fans.
With neither woman giving an inch, the pair epitomised relentless spirit even as fatigue loomed near the end of a high octane, high pace title fight, with the pair refusing to back down, exchanging strikes until the final bell sounded.
As the pair anxiously awaited the judges decision, the tension was palpable, with Walsh’s ring control, aggression and adaptability throughout the fight earning her a 4-1 split decision victiory, crowning her the Women’s 48kg 2025 National Elite Title Champion.
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