Roscommon middleweight Aoife O’Rourke, pictured above and directly below celebrating victory today, is guaranteed at least bronze at the European Women’s Elite Championships in Madrid.
The Castlerea BC stand out beat Ukraine’s Tetiana Petrovich on a unanimous decision this afternoon.
Petrovich received a public warning for holding in the second round but the points deduction only contributed marginally to O’Rourke’s victory as she ran out an emphatic 30-24,30-24,30-25,30-25,30-25 winner after repeatedly finding the target with head shots.
She’ll now meet Russia’s Youth Olympic champion Anastasia Shamonova for a place in the finals on Friday.
O’Rourke’s podium finish, meantime, guarantees Irish boxing the 11th medal at the European Women’s Elites since the inaugural tournament in 2002.
Earlier today, Amy Broadhurst advanced to the last eight after posting a unanimous decision over Czech lightweight Dominika Ciklova in Madrid.
The Dundalk southpaw and World Elite quarter-finalist will now meet Russia’s 2014 World Elite champion Anastasia Belikova, the No. 3 seed in the Spanish capital, for at least bronze in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
Finland’s No. 1 seed and current European Elite lightweight champion Mira Potkonen, who beat Katie Taylor at Rio 2016, edged England’s Paige Murney on a split decision today to book her ticket into the last eight.
Broadhurst picked off more than enough clean shots against the constant marauding of Ciklova to earn a 30-37,30-27,30-27,30-27, 29-28 verdict from a competitive 60kg encounter.
The pick of the Broadhurst’s punches were a body shot in the opening round and a neat uppercut as the battling Czech orthodox was advancing in the third.
Ceire Smith bowed out to Turkey’s Naz Buse Cakiroglu, the No. 1 seed in the flyweight class in Madrid, this evening.
But the Cavan BC lefty asked some serious questions of the current European Games champion in a tactical all-southpaw battle.
Smith repeatedly walked down her counter-punching opponent to deliver big shots off both hands but the judges leaned a very generous 30-27,30-27,30-27,29-27,29-28 to the Trabzon native and 2018 European Elite finalist.
Cork welterweight Christina Desmond will be between the ropes tomorrow.
European Women’s Elite Championships Madrid, Spain August 22/31
August 26
Last 16
51kg Ceire Smith (Ireland) lost to Naz Buse Cakiroglu (Turkey) 0-5
60kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) beat Dominika Ciklova (Czech Republic) 5-0
Q/Final
75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) beat Tetiana Petrovich (Ukraine) 5-0
August 27
Last 16
69kg Christina Desmond (Ireland) v Anna Van Leeuwen (Netherlands)
August 28
Q/Final
60kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) v Anastasia Belokova (Russia)
August 30
S/Final
75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) v Anastasia Shamonova (Russia)
August 25
Last 32
51kg Ceire Smith (Ireland) beat Krisztina Beri (Hungary) RSC2
Irish squad
51kg: Ceire Smith (Cavan/Virginia)
60kg: Amy Broadhurst (Dealgan)
69kg: Christina Desmond (Fr Horgan’s)
75kg: Aoife O’Rourke (Castlerea) (Bronze, at least)
Team manager: JP Kinsella
Coaches: Zaur Antia and Damian Kennedy
Physio; David Cooke