By Brendan Mooney
TOM FITZGERALD will be back in pursuit of an elusive senior title when the national championships get under way at the National Stadium tonight. The Corkman has won three national titles at juvenile level and one at intermediate, and would dearly love to add the senior crown to his collection.

In the past he has found fellow Corkman Michael Roche too much of a handful in his bid for the light middleweight crown.

After losing to the Sunnyside southpaw in the 1998 final he represented Ireland on tour, winning three internationals in New Zealand and two in the US.

He took his hopes of Olympic qualification back to Ireland but suffered a shock defeat at the hands of another Corkman, Patrick Walsh (Shanagarry) and Michael Roche went on to retain his title and become the only Irish boxer to qualify for Sydney.

Defending champion, Ken Egan (Neilstown) was one of the sensations of last year's championships and went on to make the quarter-finals of the world championships in Belfast. Egan will be joined by the runner-up in this year's championships. The entry includes Frank O'Brien from Knock-goshel, now boxing out of Drimnagh, who lost to Michael Roche at light middleweight in '99.

Tomas Moran (Westport), Marvin Lee (Oughterard), Leon Senior (Crumlin) and John Waldron (Midfield) were the others included when entries closed at the weekend.

Eanna Falvey will be back in at super heavyweight. Falvey will be joined by his St Colman's clubmate Patrick Walsh, who is entered at welterweight. Seanie Barrett (Rylane) is back in pursuit of his light welterweight crown which he relinquished last year during his brief retirement.

That the four nations' international will be hosted by Rylane Boxing Club this year and staged at the NEC at the Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney at the end of April will be an added incentive to Cork boxers in their title pursuits.

Seanie Barrett will be hoping to make those championships. Apart from the fact they are being hosted by his club, he hails from Millstreet where he has a huge fan club. The former champion will join Michael Kelly (Dealgan) and Paul McCloskey (St Canices) in the draw.

James Moore (Arklow), bronze medallist at the world championships last year, heads the welterweights and is joined by Patrick Walsh (St Colman's), Eugene McEneaney (Dealgan) and David Conlon (Crumlin).

John Duddy (Ring BC, Derry), last year's beaten finalist is in against Michael Roche at light middle. Light heavyweight champion Alan Reynolds has moved up to heavyweight division and may replace his brother Stephen.

John Kinsella was missing from the super heavyweight list when entries closed, as was last year's runner-up John Kiely. Eanna Falvey, Thomas Crampton (St Broughan's), Jimmy Upton (Crumlin), and Cathal McMonagle (Holy Trinity) will challenge for the vacant title.