DUBLINER KELLIE HARRINGTON booked her place in the final of the EU Championships – Ireland’s second of the tournament – with a comprehensive dismantling of Italian teenager Irma Testa in the lightweight (60kg) semis.
Victory for the 27-year-old guarantees silver for Harrington and Ireland just two days after Michaela Walsh reached the bantamweight (54kg) final.
Both finals will take place tomorrow.
The St Marys fighter took the fight to her home-country opponent in Cascia, her switch-hitting and well-timed attacks proving too much for the Rio Olympian, with her second round display particularly sensational.
Harrington will face Katie Taylor’s Rio conqueror, Mira Potkonen of Finland, in the final.
Harrington and Walsh’s team-mate, Gráinne Walsh, must settle for bronze, however, after losing via what could only be described as a farcical split decision to Germany’s Nadine Apetz in her welterweight (69kg) semi-final.
The former Shamrock Rovers star forced a standing count in the final round but was harshly adjudged to have lost the contest overall. Walsh was visibly apoplectic as the result was announced – understandable given the pattern of the fight overall.
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