Posted online: Feb 3rd, 2010

Newly crowned Donegal Sports Star of the Year William McLaughlin will hope to add an Ulster Title to his ever growing list of honours when he enters the ring at the Ulster Elite Finals in Belfast this Friday.

William’s clubmate Tyrone McCullagh will also be in action at the provincial finals which have been moved from the Ulster Hall to the Andersonstown Leisure Centre in the west of the city.

McLaughlin fought off stiff opposition from professional cycling star Philip Deignan and World Champion kickboxer Tommy McCafferty to land the county’s highest sports accolade at a glittering ceremony in Letterkenny on Friday night.

The 24 year-old admitted that winning the award came as a pleasant surprise.

“I was delighted to even win the boxing award as there was a strong field of nominees there so to win the overall award was a real shock but a very nice one,” he said.

“I’m not sure if there has ever been an Inishowen winner of the award so it’s a unique honour and it belongs as much to my coaches, friends and family who have been so supportive.”

Looking ahead to Friday’s bout, he is taking nothing for granted against reigning champion Niall McGinley. McLaughlin cruised to the final without conceding a point in emphatic stoppage wins over Adrian McCann of Clonoe and Michael Bustard of Monkstown but he believes McGinley will provide a stiffer test.

“I’m quite familiar with him, we’ve sparred in the past and I saw him in the Ulster semi-final last year. It definitely won’t be easy, he’s a tall southpaw and he’ll be an awkward opponent. 

“The Ulsters are a big event and are a much bigger deal than the provincial tournaments in Leinster or Munster. With the All Irelands coming so soon afterwards it’s a good opportunity to test myself at a high level.”

This year’s Championships have an added significance as the winners will gain an automatic place in the qualfying tournament for this year’s Commonwealth Games in India in October.

While McLaughlin’s bid to gain British citizenship for the games was unsuccessful, as a native of Derry, Tyrone McCullagh would be elligible to compete in New Delhi.

McCullagh overcame Paul Hyland of Immaculata on a 6-5 scoreline in his semi-final last week to reach his third successive Ulster Final. The bantamweight will face a familiar rival in Lisburn’s Ryan Lindberg who he lost to in those two previous deciders. But the 19 year-old believes he can go one step further this year.

“Hopefully it will be third time lucky,” said McCullagh.

“I know him very well from sparring at high performance training in Dublin. There’s never that much between us so it should be a really good fight and hopefully I’ll come out on top.”

McCullagh has had to lose an extra kilo from last year’s 57kg bantamweight limit but he believes that won’t hinder his performance.

“I feel I’m in good shape I lost the extra kilo gradually so it hasn’t affected my strength and I don’t feel any weaker.

“There’s an added pressure  this year because of the Commonwealth Games but I’ll just take things one step at a time.”