On the opening night of boxing at the 2026 IABA National Elite Championships its was the Paris Olympian Jude Gallagher that produced the most polished performance in the 60kg category.
In his first domestic bout in almost two years he was able to fend off the challenge of Martin McDonagh of Avona BC to win his quarter-final by unanimous decision.
Gallagher was on the back foot early on as McDonagh reigned in with shots from various angles but the Tyrone man picked his shots and scored regularly throughout. He advances to a last-four meeting with Meathman Gavin Ryan a week tonight.
Adam Kiely will take on Adam Hession in the other 60kg semi after Kiely won 4-1 against Lee McEvoy, also of Avona BC.
There was no fairytale comeback for former world Middleweight bronze medallist Michael O'Reilly. Now operating at heavyweight and fighting out of St Brigid's in Kildare he went down 5-0 to Wayne Rafferty of Dublin Docklands BC. Rafferty advances to a semi final with defending champion Jack Marley
O'Reilly (St Brigid's Kildare) was initially part of the Team Ireland squad at the Rio 2016 Olympics but tested positive for the banned substance methandienone, before being sent home and subsequently banned from the sport for four years.
2024 European champion Shannon Sweeney of St. Anne's Mayo set up a 51kg semi-final meeting against Paris Olympian, Daina Moorehouse.
Sweeney boxed superbly off the back foot and recorded a split decision victory over Offaly's Rachel Lawless.
Kildare's Niamh Early of Unit 3 will face Caitlyn Fryers in the other last-four bout after her victory over Mayo's Carlagh Peake.
The first of the men's 65kg quarter-finals saw Dubliner Roy Colgan beat Belfast opponent John Paul Hale by unanimous decision to set up a fight with 2024 Olympian Dean Clancy (Sean McDermott BC, Leitrim). with Luke Hall to take on fellow Westmeath man Jason Nevin in the other semi after a 5-0 win over Waterford's James McDonagh.
Cian Cramer (Cabra BC) and Ryan Jenkins (Jobstown BC) both progressed in the men's 70kg ranks after beating Damien Creavin and Darragh Gilroy respectively. Cramer will now meet DCU BC's Terry McEntee and Jenkins will be up against Belfast's Jon McConnell.
Other winners on the night were Antrim BC's Nicola Clyde (women's 54kg), Waterford fighter Adam Kiely (men's 60kg) and Esker BC, Dublin's Nathan Ojo (men's 85kg) who beat Chloe Gabriel, Lee McEvoy and Rasheed Momoh respectively on the way to sealing places in the semis.
The first of two days of semi finals will take place on Saturday, and among the highlights will be the return of two-time Olympic gold medallist Kellie Harrington, who will face Tramore BC's Zara Breslin.
Paris Olympian and 2026 World bronze medalist, Gráinne Walsh will also be fighting teenager Ava Henry (Dublin Docklands), while two-time Olympian Michaela Walsh, who has won a record 13 National Elite titles, will be up against Niamh Fay for a place in the 57kg semi finals.
