by RTÉ's Niall O'Flynn in Moscow
John Joe Nevin handed himself the best 21st birthday present of all - a chance to add a European medal to the World bronze he won in Milan last year.
The Cavan man joins no less than seven Irish boxers in the quarter-finals of the European Senior Boxing Championships in Moscow.
Nevin will now fight for at least a bronze medal on Wednesday, after brushing aside the challenge of France's Nourdine Ait Ihya, by six points to one.
Afterwards, he joked that his birthday celebrations would be spent skipping rope in his room.
He promised, too, that he would add a European and an Olympic medal to his World bronze, and complete his collection before he hangs up his gloves.
Also into the quarter-finals are 20-year-old Tyrone McCullagh, from Donegal, and Athy's Eric Donovan.
McCullagh was a revelation in his European debut, scoring freely in a 13-2 win over Moldovan Petr Apostol.
Donovan, meanwhile, produced a fighting performance to see off the tough Ukranian Dimitry Bulenkov by ten points to two.
The trio now join Olympic medallists Kenny Egan and Paddy Barnes, Kilkenny's Darren O'Neill and Kildare's John Joe Joyce in the quarter-finals at the Megasport Ice Palace in Moscow.
Mayo's Ray Moylette, meanwhile, should have made it eight Irish in the quarters, but was desperately unlucky to lose on a double countback to German's David Mueller, after their bout finished with the two men tied at five all.
