EUROPEAN GAMES MEDALLISTS Michael O’Reilly and Sean McComb safely advanced to the finals of the men’s National Elite Boxing Championships tonight.
22-year-old O’Reilly booked his place in the middleweight division decider, beating John Joyce during the second night of bouts at the National Stadium.
The world number three ranked middleweight will now face Conor Wallace next Friday.
Defending lightweight champion McComb survived a real scare to edge past Wayne Kelly on split decision to secure a berth in the 60kg final.
The Belfast boxer won bronze at the inaugural European Games in Baku last June.
Meanwhile, Brendan Irvine moved to within one victory over winning two Elite national titles at two different weights inside a year following his win over Willie Donoghue.
Irvine claimed the light-fly belt in January but has since moved up a division to flyweight and will go head-to-head with TJ Waite next week.
There were also tight wins for Myles Casey, Martin Stokes, Conor Wallace, John Paul Delaney, Bernard O’Reilly and Thomas Carty on Saturday evening.
On Friday evening, there were comfortable victories for Olympians Adam Nolan and Darren O’Neill.
O’Neill was too strong for Belfast’s Stephen McMonagle in the heavyweight division while Nolan was a unanimous points winner over Michael Bustard.
Saturday’s results:
- 52kg Brendan Irvine (St Pauls Antrim) beat William Donohue (St Michaels Athy) 3-0
- 56kg Myles Casey (St Francis) beat Jason Kirwan (Ballagh) 3-0
- 60kg Sean McComb (Holy Trinity) beat George Bates (St Marys Dublin) 2-1
- 64kg Ray Moylette (St Annes) beat Wayne Kelly (Athlone) 2-1
- 69kg Martin Stokes (Holy Family Drogheda) beat Caoimhin Hynes (Holy Trinity) 3-0
- 75kg Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise) beat John Joyce (St Michaels Athy) 3-0
- 75kg Conor Wallace (St Monicas Newry) beat Eddie Byrne (Na Fianna) 3-0
- 81kg John Paul Delaney (Emerald A) beat Sean Allen (Arklow) 3-0
- 91kg Bernard O’Reilly (Portlaoise) beat Kiril Afanasev (Smithfield) 2-1
- 91+kg Thomas Carty (Glasnevin) beat Constantin Popivicu (Johnstown) 2-1
National finals (Friday 11 December):
- Light-fly (49kg) – Stephen McKenna (Old School) v Regan Buckley (St Teresas)
- Flyweight (52kg) – TJ Waite (Ormeau Road) v Brendan Irvine (St Paul’s Antrim)
- Bantamweight (56kg) – Kurt Walker (Canal) v Myles Casey (St Francis)
- Lightweight (60kg) – David Oliver Joyce (St Michael’s Athy) v Sean McComb (Holy Trinity)
- Light-welterweight (64kg) – Dean Walsh (St Josephs/Ibars) v Ray Moylette (St Annes)
- Welterweight (69kg) – Adam Nolan (Bray) v Martin Stokes (Holy Family Drogheda)
- Middleweight (75kg) – Michael O’Reilly (Portlalise) v Conor Wallace (St Monicas Newry)
- Light-heavyweight (81kg) – Christopher Blaney (Navan) v John Paul Delaney (Emerald A)
- Heavyweight (91kg) – Darren O’Neill (Paulstown) v Bernard O’Reilly (Portlaoise)
- Super-heavyweight (91+kg) – Dean Gardiner (Clonmel) v Thomas Carty (Glasnevin)
