Tipperary lightweight Shauna O’Keeffe will meet World Elite finalist Kellie Harrington for the lightweight belt vacated by Katie Taylor at the National Elite finals next Friday night.
O’Keeffe, who was beaten by Taylor - who has since turned pro - in the 2015 final, scored a unanimous decision over ex-European Youth champion Amy Broadhurst in the 60kg semi-final at the National Stadium in Dublin.
Harrington, who reached to light-welter final at the 2016 World Elite Championships in Kazakhstan but has since dropped down to lightweight, received a bye into the finals.
Thomas McCarthy, a former Cork Boxer of the Year, edged Dubliner Adam Courtney on a split decision to set up a flyweight decider with defending champion and Rio Olympian Brendan Irvine.
“It’s a dream come true,” said Mayfield BC stand-out McCarthy. “I’ve been dreaming of reaching an Elite final since I started boxing and I’ll meet an Olympian in the final. I will give it absolutely everything.”
Grainne Walsh also celebrated victory, while Youth Olympics silver medallist Ciara Ginty, an ex-World Junior champion, also booked her ticket into next weekend’s finals, the Mayo light-welter taking four of the five judges with her en route to victory over Cheyanne O’Neill.
Rio 2016 and London 2012 Olympians Irvine, Joe Ward and Darren O’Neill won Friday. Ken Okungbowa, who secured victory tonight, will be aiming to stop O’Neill claiming his seventh belt in the heavyweight showdown.
National Elite Championships National Stadium Dublin
S/Finals (7pm)
52kg Thomas McCarthy (Mayfield) beat Adam Courtney (St Marys Dublin) 3-2
56kg Stephen McKenna (Old School) beat Myles Casey (St Francis) 3-2
60kg Shauna O’Keeffe (Clonmel) beat Amy Broadhurst (Dealgan) 5-0
60kg Patrick Mongan (Olympic) beat Gerard Matthews (St Pauls Antrim) 4-1
64kg Ciara Ginty (Geesala) beat Cheyanne O’Neill (Ahtlone) 4-1
64kg Wayne Kelly (Ballynacargy) beat Benaldo Marime (Holy Trinity) 5-0
69kg Grainne Walsh (Spartacus) beat Tina Donnelly (Corinthians) 5-0
69kg Brett McGinty (Oakleaf) beat Peter Carr (Crumlin) 5-0
75kg Stephen Broadhurst (Delagan) beat Caoimhin Hynes (Holy Trinity) 3-2
81kg Anthony Browne (St Michaels Dub) beat Sean Allen (Arlow) 5-0
91kg Kenneth Okungbowa (Athlone) beat Cormac Long (Rathkeale) 5-0
91+kg Thomas Carty (Glasnevin) beat Bernard O’Reilly (Portlaoise) 4-1
