Armagh’s Charly Shanks will take up the number one slot at this weekend’s annual Golden Gloves Tournament in Belfast, with a great entry across all grades from Under 13 to Masters.
The Clann Eireann man has just returned from California after reaching the Men’s Open quarter-final at last week’s US Open.
Shanks moved up to number three in the national men’s rankings and, with Paul Brady and Eoin Kennedy not in action this weekend, he will take the favourite’s position as the round of 16 games begin on Saturday morning.
Mayo's Dessie Keegan, who also returned from the USA this week having lost in the Open Doubles final alongside Eoin Kennedy, is at number two with Westmeath's Robbie McCarthy taking number three seed and Wicklow's Michael Gregan at four.
Belfast’s Ricky McCann, a winner of the event on three previous occasions, is seeded at number five in the 2010 event, and will be confident ahead of the weekend’s action.
The Ladies’ event promises to be a very intriguing one with Antrim’s Aisling Reilly returning from her second US Ladies’ Open win of the year looking to topple fellow St Paul’s clubmate, Fiona Shannon, who took the crown in 2009.
Shannon, who is just one point ahead of Reilly in the National rankings, makes a return to action on Saturday following a year’s break after her world championship success last October.
Roscommon’s Marianna Rushe will also compete in this year's series and is seeded at three with Down's rising star, Lorraine Havern, at number four.
There are also a number of intriguing Junior grades to look forward to, with the action set to paint a picture in many ways ahead of the forthcoming Irish Junior 40x20 Nationals, which take place in Ulster next month.
The winners in the Under 15, 17 and 19 grades in both girls and boys will all book their places on the Irish squad bound for San Diego in December, where they will compete in the US Junior Nationals.
