Two out of three ain’t bad – Céire Smith loses out to top seen in Euro Champs

Céire Smith bowed out of the European Women’s Championships after defeat in Madrid this evening.

Smith got Ireland off to an emphatic winning start in the 12th installment of the contest  when she stopped Hungary’s Krisztina Beri in the second round to progress to the last 16 in the 51kg class yesterday. 

However, she was unable to progress further after suffering a points defeat this afternoon.

The Cavan flyweight was out pointed by the top seed Turkey’s Naz Buse Cakiroglu and became the first Irish fighter to suffer defeat in the tournament.

The Cavan BC lefty did ask some serious questions of the current European Games champion in a tactical all-southpaw battle, but ultimately suffered unanimous points defeat.

Smith repeatedly walked down her counter-punching opponent to deliver big shots off both hands but the judges leaned a very generous 30-27,30-27,30-27,29-27,29-28 to the Trabzon native and 2018 European Elite finalist.

There was success earlier in the day for both Amy Broadhurst and Aoife O’Rourke.

Indeed, Castlerea fighter O’Rourke guaranteed herself bronze medal at least in the middleweight weight clash.

The Roscommon fighter beat Ukraine’s Tetiana Petrovich on a unanimous decision this afternoon.

O’Rourke ran out an emphatic 30-24,30-24,30-25,30-25,30-25 winner after her opponent was docked a point for holding. 

The 2018 European Under-22 silver medal winner will now meet Russia’s Youth Olympic champion Anastasia Shamonova for a place in the finals on Friday.

O’Rourke’s podium finish guarantees Irish boxing the 11th medal at the European Women’s Elites since the inaugural tournament in 2002.

Earlier in the day, Amy Broadhurst advanced to the last eight after posting a unanimous decision over Czech lightweight Dominika Ciklova in Madrid this afternoon.

The Dundalk southpaw and World Elite quarter-finalist will now meet Russia’s 2014 World Elite champion Anastasia Belikova, the No. 3 seed in the Spanish capital, for at least bronze in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Broadhurst picked off more than enough clean shots against the constant marauding of Ciklova to earn a 30-37,30-27,30-27,30-27, 29-28 verdict from a competitive 60kg encounter.