World Elite silver medallist Joe Ward has his eye on a fifth Irish 81kg title at the National Elite Men’s and Women’s Championships at Dublin’s National Stadium, a venue he describes as a special place.

The Rio Olympian and current European champion meets experienced light-heavy Michael Frayne in the last-four on Friday and is eagerly looking forward to competing at the flagship tournament of Irish boxing for the first time since 2014.

Ward’s fellow Olympians Brendan Irvine and Darren O’Neill are also between the ropes on Friday’s 14-bout card on the penultimate weekend of the National Elites.

Ward and David Oliver Joyce inked contracts with AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) –  which temporarily embargoed its boxers for National Championships – in 2014.

“It seems a long time ago since last won my senior title in 2014, I should be going for my 7th but due to APB I couldn’t enter the last two years,” said 23-year-old Ward, who claimed World Elite bronze and silver in 2013 and 2015 and who will, if selected, be defending his European title in the Ukraine this summer.

The Moate BC southpaw, the only Irish boxer besides Katie Taylor to win more than one European Elite gold medal, has a close bond to the first purpose built boxing venue in the world.

“The National Stadium is where it all began for me and it’s a special place. It’s the venue that shaped me,” said the only international boxer to win AIBA World Junior, Youth and Elite medals as a teenager.

Friday’s weigh-ins will be held between 8am and 9am and 12pm and 1pm at the National Stadium.

 

 

Admission Prices

February 10th/11th – Adults: €20 and €5 for children (U/14)

Finals: Friday, February 17th

Ringside: €40

Angles: €30

Gallery: €25

Gallery: €10 for children (U/14)

 

National Elite Championships National Stadium Dublin

February 10th

S/Finals (7pm)

48kg Carol Coughlan (Monkstown D) V Kristina O’Hara (St John Bosco A)
49kg Blaine Dobbins (St Josephs Derry) V Connor Jordan (St Aidans)
52kg Brendan Irvine (St Pauls Antrim) V TJ Waite (Ormeau Road)
57kg Dervla Duffy (Mulhuddart) V Tiegan Russell (Fr Horgans)
57kg Amanda Coughlan (Paulstown) V Moira McElligot (St Michaels Athy)
56kg Kurt Walker (Canal) V Evan Metcalfe (Crumlin)
60kg George Bates (St Marys Dublin) V Gary McKenna (Old School)
64kg Sidhbh Greene (St Brigids Eden) V Emma Agnew (Delagan)
64kg Sean McComb (Holy Trinity) V Patrick Linehan (St Marys Dublin)
69kg Dean Walsh (St Ibars) V Tiernan Bradley (Sacred Heart O)
75kg Emmett Brennan (Glasnevin) V Fearghus Quinn (Camlough)
81kg Joe Ward (Moate) V Michael Frayne (St Marys)
91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown) V John Joe McDonagh (Crumlin)
91+kg Damien Sullivan (Emerald Antrim) V Martin Keenan (Rathkeale)

February 11th

S/Finals (7pm)

52kg Thomas McCarthy (Mayfield) V Adam Courtney (St Marys Dublin)
56kg Myles Casey (St Francis)  V Stephen McKenna (Old School)
60kg Shauna O’Keeffe (Clonmel) V Amy Broadhurst (Delgean)
60kg Gerard Matthews (St Pauls Antrim) V Patrick Mongan (Olympic)
64kg Cheyanne O’Neill (Ahtlone) V Ciara Ginty (Geesala)
64kg Benaldo Marime (Holy Trinity) V Wayne Kelly (Ballynacargy)
69kg Tina Donnelly (Corinthians) V Grainne Walsh (Spartacus)
69kg Peter Carr (Crumlin) V Brett McGinty (Oakleaf)
75kg Stephen Broadhurst (Delagan) V Caoimhin Hynes (Holy Trinity)
81kg Anthony Browne (St Michaels Dub) V Sean Allen (Arlow)
91kg Cormac Long (Rathkeale) V Kenneth Okungbowa (Athlone)
91+kg Bernard O’Reilly (Portlaoise) v Thomas Carty (Glasnevin)

 

February 17th

Finals (7:30pm)

48kg Shannon Sweeney (St Annes) V Winner
49kg Darryl Moran (Illies GG) V Winner
51kg Carly McNaul (Ormeau Road) W/O
52kg Winner V Winner
54kg Terry Mullarney (Ballyhaunis) W/O
57kg Winner V Winner~
56kg Winner V Winner
60kg Kelly Harrington (Glasnevin) V Winner
60kg Winner V Winner
64kg Winner V Winne
64kg Winner V Winner
69kg Gillian Duffy (Bray) V Winner
69kg Winner V Winner
75kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgans) W/O
75kg Winner V Winner
81kg Caroline Connolly (Mourne GG) V Leona Houlihan (Crumlin)
81kg Winner V Winner
81+kg Maeve McCarron (Carrigart) W/O
91kg Winner V Winner
91+kg Winner V Winner

 

February 4th

Q/Finals

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

 

 

Two-time Elite champion Kurt Walker will be aiming to edge a step closer to securing his third belt from the last-four of the National Elite Men’s and Women’s Championships at the National Stadium in Dublin on Friday night.

 

But the Canal BC bantam, who meets experienced Dubliner Evan Metcalf for a place in the finals, admits that he’ll to stay sharp ahead of a big year for Ireland’s male Elites in international competition.

 

Walker had to persevere in a weight class dominated by Michael Conlan before finally getting his hands on an Elite crown, but he then secured two inside 12 months in 2015.

 

The Ulsterman beat Sean Higginson on a unanimous decision in the January 2015 decider and successfully defended the belt on a unanimous decision over Myles Casey in December of the same year.

 

Casey, who has recorded one win at the 2017 Championships so far, meets Stephen McKenna in the corresponding 56kg semi-final on Saturday, while Metcalfe impressed en route to a unanimous decision over recently crowned Senior (formerly Intermediate) champion Frankie Cleary last weekend. 

 

The champions at the 2017 Elites will be in the driving seat for selection for June’s European Championships in the Ukraine, which will act as the sole qualifier for August’s World Championships in Hamburg, Germany. The top eight in each of the ten weights in the Ukraine qualify for Hamburg. Both tournaments are AIBA ranking events.

 

Walker agrees that it’s a big 2017, and the National Elites is the key.

 

“Yeah, very big year. Everyone will be going for it so have to stay sharp, he said.

 

“Things are going very well. All the hard training is done. Just staying sharp this week and I’m going for title number three.”

 

Friday’s weigh-ins will be held between 8am and 9am and 12pm and 1pm at the National Stadium. Boxing begins at 7pm.

 

Admission Prices

February 10th/11th – Adults: €20 and €5 for children (U/14)

Finals: Friday, February 17th

Ringside: €40

Angles: €30

Gallery: €25

Gallery: €10 for children (U/14)

 

National Elite Championships National Stadium Dublin

February 10th

S/Finals (7pm)

48kg Carol Coughlan (Monkstown D) V Kristina O’Hara (St John Bosco A)
49kg Blaine Dobbins (St Josephs Derry) V Connor Jordan (St Aidans)
52kg Brendan Irvine (St Pauls Antrim) V TJ Waite (Ormeau Road)
57kg Dervla Duffy (Mulhuddart) V Tiegan Russell (Fr Horgans)
57kg Amanda Coughlan (Paulstown) V Moira McElligot (St Michaels Athy)
56kg Kurt Walker (Canal) V Evan Metcalfe (Crumlin)
60kg George Bates (St Marys Dublin) V Gary McKenna (Old School)
64kg Sidhbh Greene (St Brigids Eden) V Emma Agnew (Delagan)
64kg Sean McComb (Holy Trinity) V Patrick Linehan (St Marys Dublin)
69kg Dean Walsh (St Ibars) V Tiernan Bradley (Sacred Heart O)
75kg Emmett Brennan (Glasnevin) V Fearghus Quinn (Camlough)
81kg Joe Ward (Moate) V Michael Frayne (St Marys)
91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown) V John Joe McDonagh (Crumlin)
91+kg Damien Sullivan (Emerald Antrim) V Martin Keenan (Rathkeale)

February 11th

S/Finals (7pm)

52kg Thomas McCarthy (Mayfield) V Adam Courtney (St Marys Dublin)
56kg Myles Casey (St Francis)  V Stephen McKenna (Old School)
60kg Shauna O’Keeffe (Clonmel) V Amy Broadhurst (Delgean)
60kg Gerard Matthews (St Pauls Antrim) V Patrick Mongan (Olympic)
64kg Cheyanne O’Neill (Ahtlone) V Ciara Ginty (Geesala)
64kg Benaldo Marime (Holy Trinity) V Wayne Kelly (Ballynacargy)
69kg Tina Donnelly (Corinthians) V Grainne Walsh (Spartacus)
69kg Peter Carr (Crumlin) V Brett McGinty (Oakleaf)
75kg Stephen Broadhurst (Delagan) V Caoimhin Hynes (Holy Trinity)
81kg Anthony Browne (St Michaels Dub) V Sean Allen (Arlow)
91kg Cormac Long (Rathkeale) V Kenneth Okungbowa (Athlone)
91+kg Bernard O’Reilly (Portlaoise) v Thomas Carty (Glasnevin)

 

February 17th

Finals (7:30pm)

48kg Shannon Sweeney (St Annes) V Winner
49kg Darryl Moran (Illies GG) V Winner
51kg Carly McNaul (Ormeau Road) W/O
52kg Winner V Winner
54kg Terry Mullarney (Ballyhaunis) W/O
57kg Winner V Winner~
56kg Winner V Winner
60kg Kelly Harrington (Glasnevin) V Winner
60kg Winner V Winner
64kg Winner V Winne
64kg Winner V Winner
69kg Gillian Duffy (Bray) V Winner
69kg Winner V Winner
75kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgans) W/O
75kg Winner V Winner
81kg Caroline Connolly (Mourne GG) V Leona Houlihan (Crumlin)
81kg Winner V Winner
81+kg Maeve McCarron (Carrigart) W/O
91kg Winner V Winner
91+kg Winner V Winner

 

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

Defending featherweight champion Moira McElligott meets Amanda Coughlan o

n Friday in one of four female semi-finals on a 14-bout card at the National Elite Men’s and Women’s Championships at Dublin’s National Stadium. 

Dervla Duffy faces Cork’s Tiegan Russell in the corresponding last-four clash at featherweight.

It’s early days yet for the World’s Elite female featherweights, but the 57kg limit could become a fourth Olympic weight for women for Tokyo 2020.

The International Boxing Association announced recently that they’ve added an extra weight – feather –  for women for the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina, an improvement, albeit at Youth level, of one place from the three Olympic weights of fly, light and middle for women first introduced at London 2012 and replicated at the 2014 Youth Olympics.

Whether 57kg will be confirmed as an extra Tokyo 2020 weight remains to be seen, but the Buenos Aires move is a positive indicator for female boxing, which delivered, courtesy of Katie Taylor, Ireland’s only Olympic gold medal in all sports this century.

Meanwhile, in the immediate future, McElligott, who reached the last-eight at the European Elites in 2016 in addition to representing Ireland at the World Elite Championships in Kazakhstan last May, a few months after she beat Joanne Lambe on a split decision in the 2015 Irish Elite final, is eager to get her title defence underway, according to her St Michael’s Athy BC coach Dominic O’Rourke, who will be working her corner along with David Oliver Joyce on Friday.

“Moira is in good form and looking forward to Friday’s semi. She’s been sparring with Eric (Donovan) and a few others. Shauna O’Keeffe has been training in the club also, said O’Rourke, a former IABA President.

“Elite semi-finals are always tough and competitive and we expect the same on Friday evening.”

Coughlan, pictured, who has been sparring with Clare Grace, the only Irishwoman to win a European Elite medal besides Katie Taylor and Christina Desmond, claimed Celtic Box Cup gold and silver in 2015 and 2016.

The Paulstown BC fighter also added an U/18 title to her collection and is the current Senior (formerly Intermediate) champion.

“Amanda has been working very hard and she’s had some very good sessions with Clare and in the club,” said Paulstown BC coach Ollie O’Neill.

It’s going to be a busy night for the Kilkenny chief seconds on Friday, as his son, London 2012 Olympian Darren, will be aiming to edge a step closer to his 7th title versus John Joe McDonagh in the heavyweight class.

Carol Coughlan and Kristina O’Hara get proceedings underway in the women’s light-fly class, while Rio Olympians Brendan Irvine and Joe Ward are also in action.

The second session of semi-finals will be decided Saturday in the penultimate weekend of the National Elites.  Boxing begins at 7pm on both nights.

Friday and Saturday weigh-ins – 8am to 9am and 12pm to 1pm at National Stadium.