Ireland's reigning national boxing champions face a busy schedule in their bid for places in the Sydney Olympics. After qualifiers in Ukraine, Finland and Romania in October, two further venues will be announced in the new year following the national championships in January.
There will also be European qualifying action for the national runners up at the same venues and included among this group is Southpaw hero Francie Barrett.
Six of the reigning champions, are pencilled in for Ukraine and Romania. They are: Light-fly - James Rooney (Star Belfast); Bantam - Damien McKenna (Holy Family, Drogheda); Lightweight - Aodh Carlyle (Sacred Heart); Welter - Neil Gough (St Paul's); Middle - Conal Carmichael (Holy Trinity); Heavy - Stephen Reynolds (St Joseph's Sligo).
A further six champions will operate in Finland. They are: Fly - Liam Cunningham (Saints). Feather - Bernard Dunne (CIE). Light welter - Seanie Barrett (Rylane). Light middle - Michael Roche (Sunnyside Cork). Light heavy -Alan Reynolds (St Joseph's Sligo). Super heavy - John Kinsella (Crumlin).
Those named for European qualifying bouts are Darren Campbell (Glin), Terry Carlyle (Sacred Heart), Francie Barrett (Olympic), Sean O'Grady (St Saviours), William Waite (Holy Family Belfast), Eugene McEneaney (Dealgan), Kevin Cummiskey (Tralee). Trials between middleweights Kevin Walsh and Ian Timms and heavyweights Alo Kelly and Sean Collier have been arranged.
