Four National Elite Semi-Finals to look out for
The last of the National Elite semi-finals will be contested at the National Stadium tonight.
28 boxers will be hoping to secure a National Elite Championship finals night spot across an entertaining evening of action.
With so much at stake all 14 fights have the potential to be entertaining but we have chosen five we think could stand out.
57kg Jude Gallagher (Two Castles) V Dylan Eagleson (St Pauls)
Commonwealth teammates collide in a semi-final fight worthy of any domestic finals night around the world.
Jude Gallagher versus Dylan Eagleson is a titanic clash that even the bravest of pundits would be cautious about calling.
Both come to the ring with Commonwealth Games gold medals in their back pocket, both have enjoyed international underage success and Eagleson, 20 has a European silver on his mantle piece. It doesn’t get much taster!
It’s more than an exciting clash of young talents at an Olympic weight it’s also a mouthwatering clash of styles.
The more aggressive Gallagher will look to take it to the brash stylist Eagleson over what promises to be three brilliant rounds.
57kg Davey Joyce (Holy Family L) V Adam Hession (Monivea)
If Eagleson, who eliminated reigning champ Paul Loonam in the quarters, versus Gallagher is the glamour tie Davey Joyce versus Adam Hession is the trade fight.
Joyce has been deemed a dark horse since entering the weight, while Hession has gone above and beyond in preparing for the tournament.
Both have National Elite Championships previous, both would be backed in some quarters to win the tournament outright, and both are fighting for their Olympic featherweight dream.
Galway native, Hession, a former champion and European U22 medal winner, has been training in Armenia as he looks to regain a title he lost earlier this year. Joyce has been deemed a dark horse since it was confirmed he relocated to the weight.
It will be more than interesting to see how they match up.
92kg Eamon Tighe (Ballinacarrow) V Wayne Rafferty (Dublin Docklands)
Eamon Tighe and Wayne Rafferty bring a slice of Senior sparkle to the Elites.
The two most recent Senior Champions meet at the top end of the amateur ladder. It’s also a rematch of the 2022 Senior [formerly Intermediate] final and a fight Sligo’s Tighe called for.
Not the biggest names in the draw or even the division but a fight we promise won’t disappoint.
80kg Gabriel Dossen (Olympic C) V Sean O’Bradaigh (Drimnagh)
All the talk has been about the 80kg final and a potential meeting between two proven world-class talents – but Gabriel Dossen and Kelyn Cassidy have semi-finals to navigate first.
While both will hold interest and all four semi-finalists are good to watch on their day, there will be added intrigue to the first of the 80kg final four meetings.
The Stadium will be interested to see how Galway’s Dossen looks and performs at 80kg in domestic competition before making predictions with regard to who will win one of the more eagerly anticipated finals in recent times, if Cassidy and Dossen progress that is!
57kg Jude Gallagher (Two Castles) V Dylan Eagleson (St Pauls)
57kg Davy Joyce (Holy Family L) V Adam Hession (Monivea)
60kg Nathan May (Dublin Docklands) V Jordan Smith (Holy Family L)
60kg Jake Rapple (Monkstown D) V Jason Nevin (Olympic L)
63.5kg John Paul Hale (Star) V Anthony Malanaphy (Erne)
63.5kg Darren O’Connor (Olympic C) V Aaron O’Donoghue (Golden Gloves M)
67kg Ryan McCarthy (Fr Horgans) V Ben Teeling (Holy Family L)
67kg Cian Cramer (Cabra) V Davie O’Neill (Charleville)
71kg Darragh Gilroy (Fr Flanagans) V Dean Walsh (St Ibars/Josephs)
71kg Eugene McKeever (Holy Family L) V Matthew McCole (Illies GG)
80kg Gabriel Dossen (Olympic C) V Sean O’Bradaigh (Drimnagh)
80kg Jason Clancy (Sean McDermott) V Kelyn Cassidy (Saviours Crystal)
92kg Jack Marley (Monkstown D) V Patrick J Ward (Olympic C)
92kg Eamon Tighe (Ballinacarrow) V Wayne Rafferty (Dublin Docklands)
