Shauna O’Keeffe and Amy Broadhurst after tonight’s semi-final
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.
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 tonight’s 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 after tonight’s win
Thomas McCarthy, a former Cork Boxer of the Year, edged Dubliner Adam Courtney on a split decision this evening 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, booked her ticket into the 64kg final, the Mayo light-welter taking four of the five judges with her en route to victory over Cheyanne O’Neill.
Tonight’s semi-finals – the second session of last-four bouts this weekend – completes the card for Friday’s finals.
Grainne Walsh celebrates victory with her dad Gerry tonight
Rio 2016 and London 2012 Olympians Irvine, Joe Ward and Darren O’Neill claimed victory on Friday. Ken Okungbowa, who won tonight, will be aiming to stop O’Neill securing his seventh belt in the 91kg decider.
(Pictures courtesy of Paddy Gallagher)
Friday’s weigh-ins will be held between 8am and 9am and 12pm and 1pm at the National Stadium.
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 (Dealgan) beat Caoimhin Hynes (Holy Trinity) 3-2
81kg Anthony Browne (St Michaels Dub) beat Sean Allen (Arklow) 5-0
91kg Kenneth Okungbowa (Athlone) beat Cormac Long (Rathkeale) 5-0
91+kg Thomas Carty (Glasnevin) beat Bernard O’Reilly (Portlaoise) 4-1
February 10th
S/Finals (7pm)
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
February 17th
Finals (7:30pm)
48kg Shannon Sweeney (St Annes) V Kristina O’Hara (St John Bosco A)
49kg Darryl Moran (Illies GG) V Blaine Dobbins (St Josephs Derry)
51kg Carly McNaul (Ormeau Road) W/O
52kg Brendan Irvine (St Pauls) V Thomas McCarthy (Mayfield)
54kg Terry Mullarney (Ballyhaunis) W/O
57kg Dervla Duffy (Mulhuddart) V Moira McElligott (St Michaels Athy)
56kg Kurt Walker (Canal) V Stephen McKenna (Old School)
60kg Kelly Harrington (Glasnevin) V Shauna O’Keeffe (Clonmel)
60kg George Bates (St Marys Dublin) V Patrick Mongan (Olympic)
64kg Emma Agnew (Dealgan) V Ciara Ginty (Geesala)
64kg Sean McComb (Holy Trinity) V Wayne Kelly (Ballynacargy)
69kg Gillian Duffy (Bray) V Grainne Walsh (Spartacus)
69kg Dean Walsh (St Ibars) V Brett McGinty (Oakleaf)
75kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgans) W/O
75kg Emmett Brennan (Glasnevin) V Stephen Broadhurst (Dealgan)
81kg Caroline Connolly (Mourne GG) V Leona Houlihan (Crumlin)
81kg Joe Ward (Moate) V Anthony Browne (St Michaels Dub)
81+kg Maeve McCarron (Carrigart) W/O
91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown) V Ken Okungbowa (Athlone)
91+kg Martin Keenan (Rathkeale) V Thomas Carty (Glasnevin)
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
