BOXING:Beijing Olympian John Joe Joyce and middleweight Eamon O'Kane will join lightweight Ross Hickey in the semi-finals of the 37th European Championships in Liverpool after both won their quarter-final bouts today.
Joyce will meet an old foe in Hungarian Gyula Kate after beating 2004 Bulgarian European lightweight champion Dimitar Stilianov 9-7 in over 64Kg bout.
The Irishman beat the Kate 9-5 at the Olympics but has lost to him on three other occasions.
O'Kane beat Armenian 2008 Olympian Andranik Hakoyban and will go head-to-head with Russian puncher Maxim Koptyakou for a place in the 75Kg final.
Hickey, who won his quarter final bout on Tuesday, will also be in semi-final action tomorrow against Vazgen Safaryants of Belarus.
While the three are guaranteed bronze, David Oliver Joyce, a first cousin of John Joes, returns home empty handed after he was beaten 10-2 by Ukrainian Olympic champion Vasyl Lomachenko this evening.