Sean McComb (red) v David Oliver Joyce – 2014 Elite 60kg final
60kg (Lightweight) Final – Sean McComb v David Oliver Joyce
Defending champion Sean McComb and David Oliver Joyce have collected seven Irish Elite belts between them over the last nine years ahead of Friday’s head-to-head for All-Ireland supremacy in the 60kg class, which is one of the nine weights Irish boxing will be targeting for an Olympic berth in 2016.
The Holy Trinity BC and St Michael’s Athy BC lightweights have crossed swords once.
That was in the 2014 Elite final, a fight which Joyce won on a split decision. The St Michael’s Athy man inked a contract with AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) in October 2014 and was ineligible for the 2015 Championships. APB boxers are not allowed enter National Championships unless the tournament is part of an Olympic qualification process.
A year prior to the head-to-head between the Ulster and Leinster pair, which was scored on the 10-point must system, McComb won his first belt after beating George Bates 19-7 under the computer scoring system. He reclaimed the belt last January on a split decision over Bates.
McComb secured bronze at the inaugural European Games last June, the rangy Belfast southpaw asking quite a few questions of former AIBA World Elite champion Albert Selimov in the last-four in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Likewise, Joyce, who has won his five Elite belts at three different weights, is no stranger to putting ex AIBA World Elite champions under severe pressure, the Irish orthodox beating 2009 World gold medallist Domenico Valentino twice, once in AIBA Open Boxing before following that up with victory over the Italian in the World Series of Boxing.
Joyce will be targeting a double hat-trick on Friday over three, three minute rounds, McComb aiming for a hat-trick. Both men have represented their country at two World Elite Championships each. Joyce is the only Irish boxer beside Rio 2016 Olympian Joe Ward to win gold at the Chemistry Cup.
Sean McComb
Age: 24
Club: Holy Trinity BC (Belfast)
Stance: Southpaw
Major honours
2013: Irish Elite champion
2013: AIBA World Elite Championships (Kazakhstan) – last 16
2015: Irish Elite champion
2015: 1st European Games (Azerbaijan) – Bronze
2015 AIBA World Elite Championships (Qatar) – last 16
David Oliver Joyce
Age: 28
Club: St Michael’s Athy (Kildare) & AIBA Pro Boxing (APB)
Stance: Orthodox
Major Honours
Irish Elite champion: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2014
2009 AIBA World Elite Championships (Italy) – last 16
2011 AIBA World Elite Championships (Azerbaijan) – last 16
European Union champion: 2008 (Poland), 2009 (Denmark), 2014 (Bulgaria)
Chemistry Cup champion: 2014 (Germany)
National Elite Championships (2) 2015
December 11th
Finals
Light-fly (49kg) – Stephen McKenna (Old School) v Regan Buckley (St Teresas)
Flyweight (52kg) – TJ Waite (Ormeau Road) v Brendan Irvine (St Paul’s Antrim)
Bantamweight (56kg) – Kurt Walker (Canal) v Myles Casey (St Francis)
Lightweight (60kg) – David Oliver Joyce (St Michael’s Athy & APB) v Sean McComb (Holy Trinity)
Light-welterweight (64kg) – Dean Walsh (St Josephs/Ibars) v Ray Moylette (St Annes)
Welterweight (69kg) – Adam Nolan (Bray) v Martin Stokes (Holy Family Drogheda)
Middleweight (75kg) – Michael O’Reilly (Portlalise) v Conor Wallace (St Monicas Newry)
Light-heavyweight (81kg) – Christopher Blaney (Navan) v John Paul Delaney (Emerald Antrim)
Heavyweight (91kg) – Darren O’Neill (Paulstown) v Bernard O’Reilly (Portlaoise)
Super-heavyweight (91+kg) – Dean Gardiner (Clonmel) v Thomas Carty (Glasnevin)
December 5th
S/Finals (7pm)
52kg Brendan Irvine (St Pauls Antrim) beat William Donohue (St Michaels Athy) 3-0
56kg Myles Casey (St Francis) beat Jason Kirwan (Ballagh) 3-0
60kg Sean McComb (Holy Trinity) beat George Bates (St Marys Dublin) 2-1
64kg Ray Moylette (St Annes) beat Wayne Kelly (Athlone) 2-1
69kg Martin Stokes (Holy Family Drogheda) beat Caoimhin Hynes (Holy Trinity) 3-0
75kg Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise) beat John Joyce (St Michaels Athy) 3-0
75kg Conor Wallace (St Monicas Newry) beat Eddie Byrne (Na Fianna) 3-0
81kg John Paul Delaney (Emerald A) beat Sean Allen (Arklow) 3-0
91kg Bernard O’Reilly (Portlaoise) beat Kiril Afanasev (Smithfield) 2-1
91+kg Thomas Carty (Glasnevin) beat Constantin Popivicu (Johnstown) 2-1
December 4th
Q/Final
John Joyce (St Michaels Athy) beat 75kg Fearghus Quinn (Camlough) 2-1
S/Finals
49kg Regan Buckley (St Teresas) beat Darryl Moran (Illies GG) 2-1
52kg TJ Waite (Ormeau Road) beat Jason McKay (St Pauls Antrim) 2-1
56kg Kurt Walker (Canal) beat Colin O’Donovan (Togher) 3-0
60kg David Oliver Joyce (St Michaels Athy & APB) W/O
64kg Dean Walsh (St Josephs/Ibars) beat James Cleary (Olympic) 2-1
69kg Adam Nolan (Bray) beat Michael Bustard (Monkstown Antrim) 3-0
81kg Christopher Blaney (Navan) beat Sean McGlinchey (Oakleaf) 2-1
91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown) beat Stephen McMonagle (Holy Trinity) TKO1
91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel) W/O
December 5th
S/Finals
52kg Brendan Irvine (St Pauls Antrim) V William Donohue (St Michaels Athy)
56kg Jason Kirwan (Ballagh) V Myley Casey (St Francis)
60kg George Bates (St Marys Dublin) V Sean McComb (Holy Trinity)
64kg Wayne Kelly (Athlone) V Ray Moylette (St Annes)
69kg Caoimhin Hynes (Holy Trinity) V Martin Stokes (Holy Family Drogheda)
75kg Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise) V John Joyce (St Michaels Athy)
75kg Conor Wallace (St Monicas Newry) V Eddie Byrne (Na Fianna)
81kg John Paul Delaney (Emerald A) V Sean Allen (Arklow)
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Smithfield) V Bernie O’Reilly (Portlaoise)
91+kg Thomas Carty (Glasnevin) V Constantin Popivicu (Johnstown)
November 28th
Q/Finals
52kg Jason McKay (St Pauls Antrim) beat Adam Courtney (St Marys Dublin) TKOI2
75kg Conor Wallace (St Monicas Newry) beat Connor Coyle (St Josephs Derry) 3-0
75kg Eddie Byrne (Na Fianna) beat Glory Lmuala Carlos (Maynooth) 3-0
81kg Sean McGlinchey (Oakleaf) W/O
81kg John Paul Delaney (Emerald Antrim) beat Matthew Tinker (St Francis) 2-1
91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown) beat Stephen Lawrence (Holy Family Drogheda) 3-0
91kg Stephen McMonagle (Holy Trinity) beat Ciaran Griffin (Celtic Eagles) 3-0
91kg Kiril Afansev (Smithfield) beat Christy Joyce (St Michaels Athy) 3-0
91kg Bernie O’Reilly (Portlaoise) beat Kenneth Okungbowa (Athlone) 2-1
Men
November 21st
Q/Finals (7pm)
60kg David Oliver Joyce (St Michael’s Athy) beat Gary Cully (St Davids) 2-1
60kg Hughie Joyce (St Michael’s Athy) beat Anthony O’Rawe (Braid) 3-0
60kg George Bates (St Marys) beat Gary McKenna (Old School) 3-0
60kg Sean McComb (Holy Trinity) beat Tiernan Bradley (Sacred Heart) 3-0
64kg Dean Walsh (St Ibars) beat Benaldo Marime (Holy Trinity) 3-0
64kg James Cleary (Olympic) beat Keith Flavin (Paulstown) 2-1
64kg Wayne Kelly (Ballynacargy) beat Gerard Matthews (St Pauls) 3-0
64kg Ray Moylette (St Annes) beat Patrick Lenihan (St Marys) 3-0
69kg Michael Bustard (Monkstown) beat Fergal Redmond (Arklow) TKOI3
69kg Caoimhin Hynes (Holy Trinity) beat Conor Doherty (Holy Trinity) 3-0
Women
November 27th
Finals
48kg Lauren Hogan (St Brigids Edenderry) beat Donna Barr (Twin Towns) 2-1
51kg Michaela Walsh (Holy Family GG) beat Ceire Smith (Cavan) 3-0
54kg Dervla Duffy (St Brigids Kildare) beat Elaine Harrison (Ardnaree) 2-0
57kg Moira McElligott (St Michael’s Athy) beat Joanne Lambe (Carrickmacross) 2-1
60kg Katie Taylor (Bray) beat Shauna O’Keeffe (Clonmel) 3-0
64kg Kelly Harrington (Glasnevin) beat Cheyanne O’Neill (Athlone) 3-0
69kg Clare Grace (Callan) beat Grainne Walsh (Sparticus) 3-0
75kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgans) W/O
81+kg Diana Campbell (Garda) beat Maeve McCarron (Carrigart) 3-0
November 20th
S/Finals
48kg Donna Barr (Twin Towns) beat Alexandra Kornaga (Carrickmacross) 3-0
54kg Elaine Harrison (Ardnaree) beat Jade Corcoran (Crumlin) 3-0
60kg Shauna O’Keeffe (Clonmel) beat Kayleigh Murrihy-McCormack (Kilfenora) 3-0
64kg Cheyanne O’Neill (Athlone) beat Shanice Just (Arklow) 3-0
69kg Grainne Walsh (Sparticus) W/O