National Elite Senior Championships semi final report

Defending middleweight champion Michael O’Reilly will meet Stephen Broadhurst in the 2015 National Elite 75kg final.

Both boxers, who claimed medals for Ireland – O’Reilly silver, Broadhurst bronze – at the IABA-hosted 2011 European Youth Championships at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin, secured last-four victories at the National Stadium in Dublin tonight.

O’Reilly, who boxes out of the Portlaoise BC, edged out Derry’s Conor Coyle on a split decision and Broadhurst unanimously beat Caoimhin Hynes.

London 2012 Olympian Darren O’Neill also won. The Kilkenny southpaw, a four-time champion at middleweight, was making his Elite debut at heavyweight this evening and beat John Joe McDonagh. Kenneth Okungbowa awaits in the final following his victory over Stephen McMonagle.

European Elite bronze medallist Claire Grace is also through to the business end of the blue riband tournament of Irish boxing. The defending welterweight champion beat Jillian Duffy to set up next weekend’s 69kg final with Cork’s Irish Youth Olympian and 2013 AIBA World Youth silver medallist Christina Desmond.

The vacant light-heavy belt will be disputed between Roy Sheahan, the 2006/07/08 champion, and Matthew Tinker, who reached the light-heavy final last year but was beaten by Joe Ward, who has relinquished the 81kg title as he has signed for AIBA Pro Boxing.

Sheahan and Tinker, the second St Francis BC boxer through to the finals, shaded Chris Blaney and Padraig McCrory on a split decisions tonight.

“We entered two in the Championships and we have two in the finals. You can’t do any better than that at this point, but the job is only half done now,” said Chief Seconds Ken Moore, who is working the St Francis BC corner with his brother Jimmy and Derek Duhig.

Meanwhile, Clare’s Kayleigh Murrihy will fly the flag for the Banner County next weekend after upsetting the odds to see off Belfast’s Sarah Close on a majority verdict in the opening bout of the session, while Kelly Harrington ousted Grainne Walsh, also on a majority decision.

Dean Gardiner, the beaten 2014 super-heavy finalist, and Constantin Popovicu posted wins in the final two bouts of the session to complete the line up for the biggest occasion of the year in Irish boxing next weekend.

2015 National Elite Championships National Stadium Dublin

Saturday January 17th (7pm)

64kg Kayleigh Murrihy (Kilfenora) beat Sarah Close (Holy Family GG) 2-0

64kg Kelly Harrington (St Margarets) beat Grainne Walsh (Sparticus) 2-0

69kg Christina Desmond (Macroom) beat Tina Donelly (Baldoyle) W/O

69kg Claire Grace (Callan) beat Jillian Duffy (St Fergals Bray) 3-0

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise) beat Conor Coyle (St Josephs Derry) 2-1

75kg Stephen Broadhurst (Dealgan) beat Caoimhin Hynes (Holy Trinity) 3-0

81kg Roy Sheahan (St Michaels Athy) beat Chris Blaney (Navan) 2-1

81kg Matthew Tinker (St Francis) beat Padraig McCrory (Holy Trinity) 2-1

91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown) beat John Joe McDonagh (Crumlin) 3-0

91kg Kenneth Okungbowa (Ahtlone) beat Stephen McMonagle (Holy Trinity) 3-0

91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel) beat Niall Kennedy (Gorey) 3-0

91+kg Constantin Popovicu (Johnstown) beat Jason Barron (Holy Trinity) TKO3

Friday January 16th

51kg Kristina O’Hara (Emerald) beat Elaine Harrison (Ballina) 3-0

52kg Myles Casey (St Francis) beat TJ Waite (Cairn Lodge) 3-0

52kg Evan Metcalfe (Crumlin) beat Adam Courtney (St Marys) 3-0

56kg Kurt Walker (Canal) beat Jamie Higgins (St Brigids) 3-0

56kg Sean Higginson (St John Bosco) beat Anthony O’Rawe (Braid) 3-0

57kg Joanne Lambe (Carrickmackross) beat Moira McElligot (Rathkeale) 3-0

57kg Dervla Duffy (St Brigids/DF) beat Carly McNaul (Holy Trinity) 2-0

60kg Sean McComb (Holy Trinity) beat Gerard Matthews (St Pauls Antrim) 3-0

60kg George Bates (St Marys Dub) beat Gary Cully (St Davids Naas) 3-0

64kg Dean Walsh (St Ibars) beat Patrick Mongan (Olympic) 3-0

64kg Ray Moylette (St Annes) beat Ross Hickey (Grangecon/Defence F) 3-0

69kg John Joe Joyce (St Michaels Athy) beat Wayne Kelly (Mullingar Elite) 2-1

69kg Adam Nolan (Bray) beat Bernard Roe (Dublin Docklands) 3-0

January 9th Q/Finals

57kg Moira McElligot (Rathkeale) beat Cheyanne O’Neill (Athlone) 2-0

56kg Kurt Walker (Canal) beat Gary McKenna (Old School) 3-0

56kg Sean Higginson (St John Bosco) beat Jason Kirwan (Ballagh) 3-0

64kg Patrick Mongan (Olympic) beat Benaldo Marime (Holy Trinity) 2-1

64kg Ray Moylette (St Annes) beat Jason Conroy (Crumlin) 3-0

64kg Ross Hickey (Grancecon/ Def/Force) beat Niall Murray (Gorey) 3-0

69kg John Joe Joyce (St Michaels Athy) beat Fergal Redmond (Arklow) 3-0

69kg Wayne Kelly (Mullingar) beat Lee Sherlock (Corpus Christi) 3-0

69kg Bernard Roe (Dublin Docklands) beat Michael Nevin (Portlaoise) 2-1

69kg Adam Nolan (Bray) beat Craig McCarthy (St Pauls Waterford) TKO1

75kg Conor Coyle (St Josephs Derry) beat Emmet Brennan (Corinthians) 2-1

75kg Caoimhin Hynes (Holy Trinity) beat Glory Lmuala (Maynooth) 3-0

81kg Chris Blaney (Navan) beat Anthony Browne (St Michaels) 2-1

91kg John Joe McDonagh (Crumlin) beat Patrick O’Shea (St Colmans) 3-0

91kg Stephen McMonagle (Holy Trinity) beat Andrew Hanley (Bray) TKOI3 (3-0)

91kg Kenneth Okungbowa (Athlone) beat Bernard O’Reilly (Portlaoise) 3-0