Four hands were raised on split decisions and another on a 4-0 verdict on a fiery opening night at the National Elite Championships Championships in Dublin.
Ken Doyle, Tommy Casey, Michael Avetisan, Aidan Walsh and Stephen McMonagle got the nod from a majority of the judges.
Walsh went all the way down to the wire with Eugene McKeever before being declared the winner on a 3-2 split.
Christian Cekiso and Casey advanced from the first two fights of the night in the feather class and James McGivern, Ger Matthews, Matthew McCole Aaron Daly progressed at welter.
Kildare and Belfast super heavyweights won the final two bouts of the night in the super-heavy division.
The tournament continues tomorrow evening at the Stadium.
World Elite champion Kellie Harrington received a walkover at the Championships and two-time Commonwealth finalists Michaela Walsh received a bye into the women’s feather final.
Defending champions Wayne Kelly, Kieran Molloy and Michael Nevin are between the ropes tomorrow.
Portlaoise BC middleweight Nevin meets Galway’s Gabriel Dossen. Both boxers claimed bronze at the 2016 World Youth Championships in St Petersburg, Russia.
The finals will be decided on (Saturday) February 23.
Saturday, February 9, weigh ins – 8am to 9am and 12pm to 1pm. Boxing begins at 5.30pm
(Images courtesy of Paddy Gallagher)
Pictures
James Clarke and Stephen McMonagle trade backhands
Tommy Sheahan takes a unanimous decision over Denis Borskins
McMonagle and Clarke
McMonagle 4-1
(The running order for the finals will be confirmed in due course)
2019 National Men’s and Women’s Elite Championships National Stadium Dublin
February 8
Preliminaries (7pm)
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
February 9
Q/Finals (5.30pm)
63kg Wayne Kelly (Portlaoise) V James McGivern (St Georges)
63kg Gerard Matthews (St Pauls Antrim) V Kenneth Doyle (Monkstown Dub)
63kg Keith Flavin (Paulstown) V Matthew McCole (Dungloe)
63kg Michael Avetisian (Swords) V George Bates (St Mary’s Dublin)
69kg Kieran Molloy (Oughterard) V Aaron Daly (Castlebar)
69kg Michael McGrane (Crumlin) V Luke Maguire (Esker)
69kg Patrick Donovan (O.L.O.L.) V Conor Ivors (St Francis)
69kg Aidan Walsh (Monkstown Antrim) V Dean Walsh (St Ibars/Josephs
75kg Michael Nevin (Portlaoise) V Gabriel Dossen (Olympic)
75kg Kelyn Cassidy (Saviours Crystal) V Brett McGinty (Oakleaf)
75kg Fearghus Quinn (Camlough) V Gerard French (Emerald Antrim)
75kg Tony McGlynn (Crumlin) V Emmett Brennan (Glasnevin)
91kg Anthony Browne (St Michaels Dub) V Liam Greene (South Meath)
91kg Kenneth Okungbowa (Athlone) V Danny O’Brien (Santry/Defence Forces)
91kg Geoffrey Kavanagh (St Michaels) V Karol Dlugosz (Scorpion)
81kg David Bicevis (St Saviours OBA) V Robbie Burke (Glasnevin)
91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel) V Tommy Sheahan (St Michaels Athy)
91+kg Dean Scullion (Loughshore) V Thomas Carthy (Crumlin)
91+kg Gydis Linskyas (Celtic Eagles) V Antoine Griffin (Celtic Eagle)
91+kg Stephen McMonagle (Holy Trinity) V Martin Keenan (Rathkeale)
Friday 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)
Saturday February 16
S/Finals (6pm)
48kg Courtney Daly (Crumlin) V Winner
48kg Winner V Emma Feeney (Virginia)
63kg Winner V Winner
63kg Winner V Winner
69kg Winner V Winner
69kg Winner V Winner
75kg Winner V Winner
75kg Winner V Winner
81kg Thomas O’Toole (Celtic Eagles) V Winner
81kg Paul McCullagh (St John Bosco Bel) V Tommy Hyde (Mayfield)
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Smithfield) V Winner
91kg Winner V Winner
91+kg Winner V Winner
91+kg Winner V Winner
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