Boxing:Ireland's boxer experienced a morning of contrasting fortunes at the 15th AIBA World Championships in Milan today after flyweight Declan Geraghty advanced but Irish captain Eric Donovan bowed out.
Geraghty, from the Dublin Docklands club, became the first Irish boxer to book a ticket into the last 16 after a thrilling 11-9 win over Macedonia’s Mumin Veli.
But Donovan exited after he lost out to Indian lightweight Jai Bhagwan despite taking a 4-1 lead in the first round at the Mediolanum Forum.
At 19 Geraghty is the youngest member of the Irish squad but looked comfortable when going 3-0 up at the end of the first round. However the Macedonian, despite conceding two points for a public warning for dropping his head, turned it around in the second to lead 8-7.
Geraghty won his first Irish senior title this year and called upon some of that experience in the final round to chalk up four crucial points to secure the win and move to within two fights of the medals.
Donovan, meanwhile, appeared to be cruising after opening up a 4-1 advantage against Bhagwan in the first, and St Michael's boxer went 5-3 ahead by the end of the second.
But Bhagwan changed tactics to devastating effect in the third, tightening up his defense considerably while managing to score eight points.
Beijing Olympians Paddy Barnes John Joe Nevin and European Union champ Darren O'Neill will all be in action tomorrow.
Ken Egan is favourite to advance against Muhammad Sutani Quadir of Afghanistan on Sunday, when David Oliver Joyce, Willie McLaughlin and Con Sheehan will also be in action.