Kurt Walker (red) in action
Two-time Elite champion Kurt Walker will be aiming to edge a step closer to securing his third belt from the last-four of the National Elite Men’s and Women’s Championships at the National Stadium in Dublin on Friday night.
But the Canal BC bantam, who meets experienced Dubliner Evan Metcalf for a place in the finals, admits that he’ll to stay sharp ahead of a big year for Ireland’s male Elites in international competition.
Walker had to persevere in a weight class dominated by Michael Conlan before finally getting his hands on an Elite crown, but he then secured two inside 12 months in 2015.
The Ulsterman beat Sean Higginson on a unanimous decision in the January 2015 decider and successfully defended the belt on a unanimous decision over Myles Casey in December of the same year.
Evan Metcalfe (blue) in action
Casey, who has recorded one win at the 2017 Championships so far, meets Stephen McKenna in the corresponding 56kg semi-final on Saturday, while Metcalfe impressed en route to a unanimous decision over recently crowned Senior (formerly Intermediate) champion Frankie Cleary last weekend.
The champions at the 2017 Elites will be in the driving seat for selection for June’s European Championships in the Ukraine, which will act as the sole qualifier for August’s World Championships in Hamburg, Germany. The top eight in each of the ten weights in the Ukraine qualify for Hamburg. Both tournaments are AIBA ranking events.
Walker agrees that it’s a big 2017, and the National Elites is the key.
“Yeah, very big year. Everyone will be going for it so have to stay sharp, he said.
“Things are going very well. All the hard training is done. Just staying sharp this week and I’m going for title number three.”
Friday’s weigh-ins will be held between 8am and 9am and 12pm and 1pm at the National Stadium. Boxing begins at 7pm.
Admission Prices
February 10th/11th – Adults: €20 and €5 for children (U/14)
Finals: Friday, February 17th
Ringside: €40
Angles: €30
Gallery: €25
Gallery: €10 for children (U/14)
National Elite Championships National Stadium Dublin
February 10th
S/Finals (7pm)
48kg Carol Coughlan (Monkstown D) V Kristina O’Hara (St John Bosco A)
49kg Blaine Dobbins (St Josephs Derry) V Connor Jordan (St Aidans)
52kg Brendan Irvine (St Pauls Antrim) V TJ Waite (Ormeau Road)
57kg Dervla Duffy (Mulhuddart) V Tiegan Russell (Fr Horgans)
57kg Amanda Coughlan (Paulstown) V Moira McElligot (St Michaels Athy)
56kg Kurt Walker (Canal) V Evan Metcalfe (Crumlin)
60kg George Bates (St Marys Dublin) V Gary McKenna (Old School)
64kg Sidhbh Greene (St Brigids Eden) V Emma Agnew (Delagan)
64kg Sean McComb (Holy Trinity) V Patrick Linehan (St Marys Dublin)
69kg Dean Walsh (St Ibars) V Tiernan Bradley (Sacred Heart O)
75kg Emmett Brennan (Glasnevin) V Fearghus Quinn (Camlough)
81kg Joe Ward (Moate) V Michael Frayne (St Marys)
91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown) V John Joe McDonagh (Crumlin)
91+kg Damien Sullivan (Emerald Antrim) V Martin Keenan (Rathkeale)
February 11th
S/Finals (7pm)
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)
February 17th
Finals (7:30pm)
48kg Shannon Sweeney (St Annes) V Winner
49kg Darryl Moran (Illies GG) V Winner
51kg Carly McNaul (Ormeau Road) W/O
52kg Winner V Winner
54kg Terry Mullarney (Ballyhaunis) W/O
57kg Winner V Winner~
56kg Winner V Winner
60kg Kelly Harrington (Glasnevin) V Winner
60kg Winner V Winner
64kg Winner V Winne
64kg Winner V Winner
69kg Gillian Duffy (Bray) V Winner
69kg Winner V Winner
75kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgans) W/O
75kg Winner V Winner
81kg Caroline Connolly (Mourne GG) V Leona Houlihan (Crumlin)
81kg Winner V Winner
81+kg Maeve McCarron (Carrigart) W/O
91kg Winner V Winner
91+kg Winner V Winner
February 4th
Q/Finals (7pm)
60kg Gary McKenna (Old School) beat Alan O’Connor (Bawnogue) 5-0
64kg Patrick Linehan (St Marys Dublin) beat Colm Quinn (Castlebar) 4-1
69kg Dean Walsh (St Ibars) beat Mark McCole (Dungloe) 5-0
69kg Tiernan Bradley (Sacred Heart O) beat Gerard French (Clonard U) 4-1
69kg Peter Carr (Crumlin) beat Nathan Watson (Saints) 5-0
69kg Brett McGinty (Oakleaf) beat Ross Boyle (Mourne GG) 3-2
91+kg Martin Keenan (Rathkeale) beat Patrick Nevin (St Michaels Dublin) 5-0
91+kg Bernard O’Reilly (Portlaoise) beat James Clarke (Kilnamanagh) 5-0
91+kg Thomas Carty (Glasnevin) beat John McDonnell (Crumlin) 4-1
Q/Finals: February 3rd
52kg TJ Waite (Ormeau Road) beat Tommy Casey (St Francis) 5-0
56kg Evan Metcalfe (Crumlin) beat Frankie Cleary (Ballina) 5-0
56kg Myles Casey (St Francis) beat Eamon McNally (St Michaels Antrim) 5-0
69kg Mark McCole (Dungloe) beat Fergal Redmond (Arklow) 5-0
75kg Emmett Brennan (Glasnevin) beat John Joyce (St Michaels Athy) 5-0
75kg Fearghus Quinn (Camlough) beat Glory Carlos Lumuala (Maynooth) 5-0
75kg Stephen Broadhurst (Delagan) beat David Bicevas (St Saviours OBA) 5-0
75kg Caoimhin Hynes (Holy Trinity) beat Conor Doherty (Emerald Antrim) 5-0
81kg Michael Frayne (St Marys Dublin) beat Robert Burke (Glasnevin) 5-0
81kg Anthony Browne (St Michaels Dub) beat Sean Conroy (Ballina) 3-2
91kg John Joe McDonagh (Crumlin) beat Kiril Afanasev (Smithfield) 3-2
91kg Cormac Long (Rathkeale) beat Geoffrey Kavanagh (Glasnevin) 4-1