The first session of the weekend's National Elite Men’s and Women’s Championships semi-finals was completed amid a tremendous atmosphere at the National Stadium tonight.
Olympians Darren O’Neill, Joe Ward and Brendan Irvine all comfortably came through their last-four tests in Dublin.
Kristina O’Hara won the first ever women’s Elite semi-final bout over three, three-minute rounds this evening, while European Elite and European Games medallists Dean Walsh and Sean McComb also advanced to next Friday’s finals.
The second session of semi-finals will be decided on Saturday at the Stadium to complete next Friday’s finals line up at IABA headquarters.
Shauna O’Keefe meets ex-European Youth champion Amy Broadhurst in the women’s lightweight class. The winner will face World Elite finalist Kellie Harrington for the belt vacated by now professional Katie Taylor.
Harrington, who is ranked No 2 in the World at light-welter, the weight she claimed World silver at, has dropped down to lightweight which is one of the three Olympic weights for women. The Dubliner received a bye into the 60kg final.
National Elite Championships semi-final results
48kg Kristina O’Hara (St John Bosco A) beat Carol Coughlan (Monkstown D) 5-0
49kg Blaine Dobbins (St Josephs Derry) beat Connor Jordan (St Aidans) 3-2
52kg Brendan Irvine (St Pauls Antrim) beat TJ Waite (Ormeau Road) 5-0
57kg Dervla Duffy (Mulhuddart) beat Tiegan Russell (Fr Horgans) 4-1
57kg Moira McElligott (St Michaels Athy) beat Amanda Coughlan (Paulstown) 5-0
56kg Kurt Walker (Canal) beat Evan Metcalfe (Crumlin) 5-0
60kg George Bates (St Marys Dublin) beat Gary McKenna (Old School) 5-0
64kg Emma Agnew (Delagan) beat Sidhbh Greene (St Brigids Eden) 5-0
64kg Sean McComb (Holy Trinity) beat Patrick Linehan (St Marys Dublin) 5-0
69kg Dean Walsh (St Ibars) beat Tiernan Bradley (Sacred Heart O) 5-0
75kg Emmett Brennan (Glasnevin) beat Fearghus Quinn (Camlough) 3-2
81kg Joe Ward (Moate) beat Michael Frayne (St Marys) 4-0
91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown) beat John Joe McDonagh (Crumlin) 5-0
91+kg Martin Keenan (Rathkeale) beat Damien Sullivan (Emerald Antrim) 3-2
Semi-final fixtures for Saturday 11 February
52kg Thomas McCarthy (Mayfield) V Adam Courtney (St Marys Dublin)
56kg Myles Casey (St Francis) V Stephen McKenna (Old School)
60kg Shauna O’Keeffe (Clonmel) V Amy Broadhurst (Delgean)
60kg Gerard Matthews (St Pauls Antrim) V Patrick Mongan (Olympic)
64kg Cheyanne O’Neill (Ahtlone) V Ciara Ginty (Geesala)
64kg Benaldo Marime (Holy Trinity) V Wayne Kelly (Ballynacargy)
69kg Tina Donnelly (Corinthians) V Grainne Walsh (Spartacus)
69kg Peter Carr (Crumlin) V Brett McGinty (Oakleaf)
75kg Stephen Broadhurst (Delagan) V Caoimhin Hynes (Holy Trinity)
81kg Anthony Browne (St Michaels Dub) V Sean Allen (Arlow)
91kg Cormac Long (Rathkeale) V Kenneth Okungbowa (Athlone)
91+kg Bernard O’Reilly (Portlaoise) v Thomas Carty (Glasnevin)
