Neil Gough and Bernard Dunne appear to be the most likely candidates for the Sydney Olympics as the Irish Amateur Boxing Association hosts its national semi-finals in the Stadium tonight and tomorrow night with 10 bouts on each bill.

The finals - the following weekend - threaten to be a family affair. Already qualified for the finals are brothers Liam and Harry Cunningham who will figure in the light fly and bantam sectors. The Barrett brothers, Declan and Seanie from the Rylane Club in Cork are in the semi-finals at light weight and light welter, the Walsh brothers from St Colman's, also in Cork, are in the light middle division and the Reynolds brothers - Alan and Stephen - from Sligo are at light heavy and heavy, respectively.

Gough is headed for his eighth senior title at welterweight and meets Dubliner Robert Murray from the St Matthew's club in the semi-final tonight and will then face the winner of the Kevin Cumiskey-James Moore bout.

Bernard Dunne meets JP Campbell from South Meath in the first match on the bill tomorrow and, as reigning champion in the featherweight division, is expected to advance and will be an interested spectator at the second bout of the night. This will feature James Phillip from Athy and Noel Hazlett from St Brigid's in Dublin.

Saturday is also expected to see another meeting between the Barretts - Sean from Rylane and Francie from the Olympic club in Galway. They meet Paul McCloskey from St Canice's in Derry and Marvin Lee for CIE in Dublin respectively tomorrow night.

Boxing starts at 7.0 p.m. and the finals are on Friday, January 28th.