Current European U/22 champion Amy Broadhurst looks like she’s going to get the decision over former Republic of Ireland star and manager Steve Staunton in the Dundalk Democrat All-Time great poll.
The 2018 World Elite quarter-finalist is putting the ex Liverpool defender under pressure, as Staunton’s ex Irish boss Jack Charlton might put it.
However, the only decision Broadhurst is focused on this weekend is the one on offer versus Clann Naofa BC standout Shauna O’Callaghan.
Both women meet in the light-welter semi-finals at the National Stadium tomorrow night with the winner advancing to face defending champion Moira McElligott of the St Michael’s Athy BC on the 80th anniversary of the official opening of the first purpose-built boxing venue in the world in 1939.
National Stadium on opening night in 1939
Broadhurst, who is ranked No. 8 in the world, added to her medal-laden CV last month after taking home her second successive U/22 crown at lightweight but has moved up to light-welter for the Elites.
“I was delighted with my performance, I did everything that was asked of me, I didn’t make many mistakes either so I was very happy with it, said the 21-year-old former European Youth and Junior champion after winning 16th Irish belt.”
Chloe Fleck and Carol Coughlan kick off the penultimate weekend of the Elite Championships in one of two outstanding quarter-finals on Friday.
The Francis BC will be guaranteed a title if uncle and nephew Myles Casey and Tommy Casey beat Portlaoise BC and Drimnagh BC feathers Christian Cekiso and Patryk Adamus and Cork’s World Youth finalist and 2014 Youth Olympian Christian Desmond is in against Tina Donnelly at welter.
“It would be nice to win it out, definitely. That’s the plan and we’ll see how it goes at the Stadium, said Macroom southpaw Desmond.
“Semi-finals at the National Elites are always special and I’m very much looking forward to the challenge. I’ve put in a lot of hard work in the gym and I’m ready to go.”
Grainne Walsh, the defending titlist who claimed the inaugural Best Female Boxer Award the 2018 Elites, meets Gillian Duffy in the corresponding welterweight semi-final.
Welter is one of the new Olympic limits for women. The 69kg class and feather have been added to fly, light and middle for Tokyo 2020.
The weigh-ins for Friday’s and Saturday’s bouts will be held between 8am and 9am and 12pm at 1pm at the National Stadium.
25 bouts will be completed this weekend to complete the lineups for the finals on Saturday, February 23.
Finals night will be broadcast live on TG4.
The IABA wishes all athletes the very best of luck at the home of Irish boxing this weekend.
2019 National Men’s and Women’s Elite Championships National Stadium Dublin
February 15
Q/finals & S/Finals (7pm)
Q/Finals
48kg Chloe Fleck (Canal) V Carol Coughlan (Monkstown D)
48kg Ciara Walsh (Smithfield) V Donna Barr (Illies GG)
S/Finals
49kg Sean Mari (Monkstown D) V Rory Baird (Ederney)
52kg Adam Hession (Monivea) V Ricky Nesbitt (Holy Family Drog)
57kg Mary Geraghty (St Anthony’s Dub) V Dearbhla Duffy (Crumlin)
57kg Myles Casey (St Francis) V Christian Cekiso (Portlaoise)
57kg Tommy Casey (St Francis) V Patryk Adamus (Drimnagh)
60kg David Oliver Joyce (Ballymun) V Shane Flavin (Portlaoise)
64kg Shauna O’Callaghan (Clann Naofa) V Amy Broadhurst (Dealgan)
69kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgans) V Tina Donnelly (Dublin Docklands)
69kg Gillian Duffy (St Mary’s Dublin) V Grainne Walsh (Sparticus)
February 16
S/Finals (6pm)
48kg Courtney Daly (Crumlin) V Winner
48kg Winner V Emma Feeney (Virginia)
63kg James McGivern (St Georges) V Kenneth Doyle (Monkstown Dub)
63kg Keith Flavin (Paulstown) V George Bates (St Marys, Dublin)
69kg Kieran Molloy (Oughterard) V Luke Maguire (Esker)
69kg Patrick Donovan (OLOL) V Aidan Walsh (Monkstown Antrim)
75kg Gabriel Dossen (Olympic) V Brett McGinty (Oakleaf)
75kg Fearghus Quinn (Camlough) V Emmett Brennan (Glasnevin)
81kg Thomas O’Toole (Celtic Eagles) V David Bicevis (St Saviours OBA)
81kg Paul McCullagh (St John Bosco Bel) V Tommy Hyde (Mayfield)
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Smithfield) V Anthony Browne (St Michaels Dub)
91kg Kenneth Okungbowa (Athlone) V Karol Dlugosz (Scorpion)
91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel) V Thomas Carthy (Crumlin)
91+kg Gydis Linskyas (Celtic Eagles) V Martin Keenan (Rathkeale)
February 9
Q/Finals
63kg James McGivern (St Georges) beat Wayne Kelly (Portlaoise) 5-0
63kg Kenneth Doyle (Monkstown Dub) beat Gerard Matthews (St Pauls Antrim) 4-1
63kg Keith Flavin (Paulstown) beat Matthew McCole (Dungloe) 3-2
63kg George Bates (St Marys, Dublin) beat Michael Avetisian (Swords) RSCI3
69kg Kieran Molloy (Oughterard) beat Aaron Daly (Castlebar) 5-0
69kg Luke Maguire (Esker) beat Michael McGrane (Crumlin) 5-0
69kg Patrick Donovan (O.L.O.L.) beat Conor Ivors (St Francis) 5-0
69kg Aidan Walsh (Monkstown Antrim) beat Dean Walsh (St Ibars/Josephs) 4-1
75kg Gabriel Dossen (Olympic) beat Michael Nevin (Portlaoise) 3-2
75kg Brett McGinty (Oakleaf) beat Kelyn Cassidy (Saviours Crystal) 3-2
75kg Fearghus Quinn (Camlough) beat Gerard French (Emerald Antrim) 5-0
75kg Emmett Brennan (Glasnevin) beat Tony McGlynn (Crumlin) 5-0
91kg Anthony Browne (St Michaels Dub) beat Liam Greene (South Meath) 4-1
91kg Kenneth Okungbowa (Athlone) beat Danny O’Brien (Santry/Defence Forces) 5-0
91kg Karol Dlugosz (Scorpion) beat Geoffrey Kavanagh (St Michaels) 4-1
81kg David Bicevis (St Saviours OBA) beat Robbie Burke (Glasnevin) 3-2
91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel) beat Tommy Sheahan (St Michaels Athy) RSC1
91+kg Thomas Carthy (Crumlin) beat Dean Scullion (Loughshore) 5-0
91+kg Gydis Linskyas (Celtic Eagles) beat Antoine Griffin (Celtic Eagles) 3-2
91+kg Martin Keenan (Rathkeale) beat Stephen McMonagle (Holy Trinity) 5-0
February 8
Preliminaries
57kg Christian Cekiso (Portlaoise) beat Conor Kerr (Monkstown Antrim) 5-0
57kg Tommy Casey (St Francis) beat Adam Courtney (St Mary’s Dublin) 4-0
63kg James McGivern (St Georges) beat Senan Kelly (Crumlin) 5-0
63kg Gerard Matthews (St Pauls Antrim) beat Stephen Lockhart (Baldoyle) 5-0
63kg Kenneth Doyle (Monkstown Dub) beat Craig Kavanagh (Crumlin) 4-1
63kg Matthew McCole (Dungloe) beat Dylan Duffy (Pegasus) 5-0
63kg Michael Avetisian (Swords) beat Terry McEntee (Old School/DCU) 4-1
69kg Aaron Daly (Castlebar) beat Fergal Redmond (Arklow) 5-0
69kg Aidan Walsh (Monkstown Antrim) beat Eugene McKeever (Holy Family Drog) 3-2
91+kg Tommy Sheahan (St Michaels Athy) beat Denis Borskins (Sacred Heart Newry) 5-0
91+kg Stephen McMonagle (Holy Trinity) beat James Clarke (Crumlin) 4-1
Saturday February 23
Finals
48kg Winner V Winner
49kg Regan Buckley (St Teresa’s) V Winner
51kg Carly McNaul (Holy Family GG) V Niamh Early (Ryston)
52kg Evan Metcalf (Hyland BA) V Winner
54kg Emma Flannery (Baldoyle) W/O
57kg Michaela Walsh (Monkstown Antrim) V Winner
57kg Winner V Winner
60kg Kellie Harrington (St Marys Dublin) W/O
60kg Dominic Bradley (Errigal) V Winner
63kg Winner V Winner
64kg Moira McElligot (St Michaels Athy) V Winner
69kg Winner V Winner
69kg Winner V Winner
75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Castlerea) V Chayanne O’Neill (Athlone)
75kg Winner V Winner
80kg Leona Houlihan (Crumlin) V Lisa Browne (Aglish)
80+kg Nell Fox (Rathkeale) W/O
81kg Winner V Winner
91kg Winner V Winner
91+kg Winner V Winner