Finbar Sayers Salas and Connor Rodriguez became National Champions at the All Irelands on 13 December 2025. Finbar won the minor boys under-38kg title, with teammate Jacob Moore taking silver in the same category. Connor secured pre-cadet boys under-46kg gold.
Senshin also earned medals at cadet, junior and senior level, bringing National Squad qualification for the medallists in those age groups. Dylan Murphy reached the podium in both junior and senior under-81kg competition.
Minor results
Gold: Finbar Sayers Salas (boys, under 38kg).
Silver — finalists: Jacob Moore (boys, under 38kg).
Bronze: Adam Powala (boys, under 27kg).
Pre-cadet results
Gold: Connor Rodriguez (boys, under 46kg).
Bronze: Nancy Fahy (girls, under 52kg); Urszula Dominczak (girls, under 52kg).
Cadet results
Bronze: Fionn Branagan (boys, under 55kg); Daniel Clayden-Murphy (boys, under 60kg).
Junior results
Bronze: Erin Bell (women, under 63kg); Aodhan Zolnai (men, under 73kg); Dylan Murphy (men, under 81kg).
Senior results
Bronze: Joshua Moore (men, under 66kg); Dylan Murphy (men, under 81kg).
A shared podium and a national title
Finbar and Jacob's gold and silver in the same minor category gave Senshin one of its clearest highlights. Two teammates appearing in the leading positions made under-38kg a particularly notable part of the day. Connor's pre-cadet title supplied a second National Champion in a different stage of the age-group programme.
Those titles matter as achievements in their own right. They also give younger club members recognisable examples of what a competition pathway can include. A national title is a specific result earned at a particular event, rather than a prediction about an athlete's future. The next stage still involves learning, practice and further challenges.
The older team's next opportunity
The cadet, junior and senior medals carried an additional significance through National Squad qualification. Fionn and Daniel reached the cadet podium; Erin, Aodhan and Dylan earned junior bronzes; Joshua and Dylan added senior medals. Dylan's results in two age groups were a notable contribution to that part of the report.
Qualification creates an opportunity to engage with a further stage of the sport. It is not a guarantee of selection for every future event or an automatic promise of international success. Its value lies in opening a next step that athletes can consider alongside their training, education and wider commitments.
Two routes working alongside each other
Competition and grading ask different questions. A championship tests an athlete against the opposition in that draw. Grading recognises technical learning within a syllabus. Both can give a judoka a worthwhile objective, and neither makes the other unnecessary.
This distinction is helpful for families reading about national success. The club's champions and squad qualifiers are part of a programme that also welcomes children learning their first techniques. The presence of ambitious competitors can show what is possible without turning every recreational class into a selection exercise.
A first class comes before a championship
Senshin's younger programmes introduce movement, cooperation and the routines of learning with a partner. Fighting Fit provides a next stage of technical education. From there, the appropriate route depends on the athlete's interest and readiness, with club competition and squad training available to explore over time.
If your child is curious after reading about Finbar, Connor and their teammates, arrange a free trial with Senshin. Ask about a suitable beginner group and let the first session be an introduction to the sport, rather than a test of future potential.