“I’m the better fighter but Vito is a better dancer” – Podge Henry makes it two-in-a-row in RAG Rumble main event

Conor Breslin

Rachel O'Toole lands a strike on Emily O'Gorman during the 2017 DCU RAG Rumble. Image Credit: Niamh McKeown

Over 450 people attended the Wright Venue on Monday night to witness fifteen fights of pure raw intensity as the annual DCU RAG Rumble took place, featuring some of St Pat’s and DCU’s well known faces.

The thirty competitors who have been preparing and training for over seven weeks did not disappoint in the high-level entertainment they produced on the night – even though many had never stepped into a ring before.

The main event fight featured the rematch between Vito Moloney Burke and DCUSU VP for Welfare and Equality, Podge Henry, that was contested at RAG Rumble one year ago. The crowd was not disappointed as they screamed “one more round,” at the end of the fight.

Henry walked away the victor with a unanimous decision for the second year in a row.

“I’m the better fighter but Vito is a better dancer,” Henry joked.

“For the moment I’ll stick to my job at the Student Union, it’s not as tiring.”

The chairman of the Raising and Giving society, Seanie Germaine, said, “All the money raised tonight will go towards the social projects that the RAG society has on campus, from cookery classes to working and providing Christmas presents for homeless children.”

The first year from Co Wicklow said the work provided by the boxing society in running this event was outstanding and it would have never have happened without their commitment and effort.

“This could be right up there with the top events of the year, it was unbelievable,” Germaine told The College View.

The fighting did not fail to disappoint either, with all fighters giving everything they had, including quick speed and agility around the ring.

Often the occasional gumshield would fly out of the mouth, or the fight would be paused for the fighters to clean their face due to the presence of blood.

The fighter of the night David Dcruz said, “I didn’t realise until I took a shower that I was even bleeding until I saw blood dripping down my body.”

Hosts on the night, Conor Walsh and Aoife Murphy, described the all-St Pat’s Fight between Karl Daly and Jamie Storey as “something from a WWE wrestling match”. However, some matches ended on a light-hearted note, such as Shauna Butterly receiving a birthday cake and a standing ovation after her unanimous victory over Aoife McDermott.

Head of the boxing society Sadhbh Candon summed up the night saying: “it was a fantastic night with very dedicated volunteers and fighters who really got the crowd going.”

Results:

Patrick Rickard defeated Donal Corrigan

David Dcruz defeated Conor Balfe

David Wright defeated Sean Jacob

Niamh Connaughton defeated Katie Fay

Garreth Cullen defeated Luke Tallon

Emer Keogh drew with Emily McNamara

Cathal O’Rourke defeated Adam Healy

Emily O’Gorman defeated Rachel O’Toole

Karl Daly defeated Jamie Storey

Shauna Butterly defeated Aoife McDermott

Conor Halligan defeated Kevin Cleary

Grainne Donegan defeated Kerri McIntyre

Evan Cudden defeated Sean Blong

Billy Keenan defeated Cian Conroy

Podge Henry defeated Vito Moloney Burke

Conor Breslin

Image Credit: Niamh McKeown