Boxing:Ken Egan will meet Joe Ward in next Friday's Irish Elite Championships light-heavyweight final. Egan set up the "battle of the southpaws" after Eamon Walsh retired in round two of last night's semi-final at the National Stadium in Dublin with a facial injury.
Egan was 17-4 ahead and had forced Walsh into standing counts in round one and two before the three-rounder was stopped. The clash with Ward will be a repeat of the 2011 Elite final which the latter won, denying Egan his 11th straight Irish title.
Saturday’s semi-finals also saw Chris Phelan become the second Ryston BC boxer to make next weekend’s deciders following a commanding 26-13 victory over Ruairi Dalton. Phelan edged the first round of his clash 6-5, but some slick counter-punching saw him run away with the second and open up a 17-8 advantage.
Michael Nevin will face John Joe Nevin in the bantamweight final following a 15-10 win over Glen Murray.
The first round of the all-St Michael’s Athy clash between Eric Donovan and David Oliver Joyce finished tied at 3-3. Joyce did the stalking and Donovan picked up points on the counter. Joyce switched tactics to throwing clusters of body punches in the second and opened up an 11-7 lead at the bell before winning the third round 5-4 to secure a 16-11 decision.
He’ll now meet Michael McDonagh who beat him in last year’s lightweight final.
“I am not looking past McDonagh. He beat me last year.
Back to the club for the week and learn how to fight this lad. He is a different style of boxer but I’ll worry about that on Monday,” said Joyce after his win.
Martin Wall, meanwhile, took a count in the third against Stephen Coughlan, who booked his place into the 64Kg final with a 16-11 verdict.
Christy Joyce ensured that the St Michael’s Athy club will have three boxers in next weekend’s finals with an 11-5 verdict over Patrick Corcoran.
Beijing Olympian John Joe Joyce beat Roy Sheahan in the second St Michael’s duel of the evening, and Conor Coyle had three points to spare over Michael Reilly.
Dublin’s Sean Turner posted the final win of the evening, a 20-12 decision over David Joyce booking his place into the super-heavyweight final.
2012 Elite Championships National Stadium Dublin - January 28th
Women’s Finals/Men’s S/Finals
Finals
51Kg: Ceire Smith (Cavan) beat Emma Duffy (Crumlin) RET1
54Kg: Michelle Lynch (Golden Gloves) beat Michelle Chamber (Castlebar) 12-3
60Kg: Carla Wright (Gleann) W/O
64Kg: Sarah Close (Holy Family GG) W/O
69Kg: Claire Grace (Callan) beat Patricia Roddy (Bray) 14-8
75Kg: Sinead Kavanagh (Drimnagh) W/O
81Kg: Lauragh O'Neill (Paulstown) W/O
S/Finals
52Kg: Chris Phelan (Ryston) beat Ruairi Dalton (Holy Trinity) 26-13
56Kg: Michael Nevin (Portlaoise) beat Glenn Murray (Corinthians) 15-10
60Kg: David Oliver Joyce (St Michael's Athy) beat Eric Donovan (St Michael's Athy) 16-11
64Kg: Stephen Coughlan (Bray) beat Martin Wall (Crumlin) 16-11
69Kg: John Joe Joyce (St Michael's Athy) beat Roy Sheahan (St Michael's Athy) 15-9
75Kg: Conor Coyle (St Jospehs) beat Michael Reilly (Holy Family) 12-9
81Kg: Ken Egan (Neilstown) beat Eamon Walsh (St Annes) RSCI2
91Kg: Christy Joyce (St Michael's Athy) beat Patrick Corcoran (Crumlin) 11-5
91+Kg: Sean Turner (Drimnagh) beat David Joyce (Moate) 20-12
January 27th S/Finals
49Kg: Hugh Myres (Ryston) beat Evan Metcalfe (Crumlin) 23-15
52Kg: Michael Conlan (St John Bosco) beat Shane Roche (Corinthians) 28-12
56Kg: John Joe Nevin (Cavan) beat Sean McComb (Holy Trinity) 13-12
60Kg: Michael McDonagh (St Marys) beat Tyrone McCullagh (Holy Family GG) 11-5
64Kg: Ross Hickey (Grangecon) beat Niall Murray (Gorey) 15-12
69Kg: Adam Nolan (Bray) beat Willie McLaughlin (Illies GG) 17-12
75Kg: Darren O'Neill (Paulstown) beat Conrad Cummings (Holy Trinity) 13-10
81Kg: Joe Ward (Moate) beat David Joe Joyce (Ballinacargy) 17-4
91Kg: Tommy McCarthy (Oliver Plunkett) beat Stephen Ward (Monkstown) 16-11
91+Kg: Con Sheehan (Clonmel) beat Ken Okungbowa (Moate) 17-8
