Egan Will Face Ward For Amateur Irish Light Heavy Supremacy

Ken Egan will meet Joe Ward in next Friday’s Irish Daily Star sponsored Irish Elite Championships light-heavyweight final.

Egan set up the “battle of the southpaws” after Eamon Walsh retired in round two of last night’s semi-final at the National Stadium in Dublin with a facial injury.

Egan was 17-4 ahead and had forced Walsh into standing counts in round one and two before the three-rounder was stopped.

The February 3rd clash with Ward will be a repeat of the 2011 Elite final which Ward won, a victory which denied Egan his 11th straight Irish title.

Saturday’s semi-finals also saw Chris Phelan become the second Ryston BC boxer to make next weekend’s deciders following a commanding 26-13 victory over Ruairi Dalton.

Phelan edged the first round of this clash 6-5, but some slick counter-punching saw him run away with the second and open up a 17-8 advantage.

Michael Nevin will face John Joe Nevin in the bantamweight final following a 15-10 win over Glen Murray.

The first round of the Eric Donovan versus David Oliver Joyce all St Michael’s Athy clash finished tied at 3-3, Joyce doing the stalking, Donovan picking up points on the counter.

Joyce switched tactics to throwing clusters of body punches in the second and opened up an 11-7 lead at the bell before winning the third round 5-4 to secure a 16-11 decision.

He’ll now meet Michael McDonagh in a rematch of the 2011 lightweight final which McDonagh won.

“I am not looking past McDonagh. He beat me last year. Back to the club for the week and learn how to fight this lad. He is a different style of boxer but I’ll worry about that on Monday,” said Joyce after his win.

Martin Wall, meanwhile, took a count in the third against Stephen Coughlan, who booked his place into the 64Kg final with a 16-11 verdict.

Ceire Smith took the early route to victory in the first of Saturday’s women’s finals to claim her second Irish title.

The Cavan BC flyweight had her hand raised in victory after Emma Duffy retired in round one after taking a second standing count and suffering a shoulder injury.

Michelle Chambers took a standing count in the second frame of her all-Mayo bantamweight final with Michelle Lynch, who held a 9-3 advantage going into the fourth before securing a 12-3 win.

Claire Grace claimed the welterweight title with a 15-8 decision over Patricia Roddy.

Meanwhile, Christy Joyce ensured that the St Michael’s Athy club will have three boxers in next weekend’s finals with an 11-5 verdict over Patrick Corcoran.

Beijing Olympian John Joe Joyce beat Roy Sheahan in the second all-St Michael’s Athy duel of the evening, and Conor Coyle had three points to spare over Michael Reilly.

Dublin’s Sean Turner posted the final win of the evening, a 20-12 decision over David Joyce booking his place into the super-heavyweight final.

The 2012 Elite National Senior Championships finals will be held on Friday, February 3rd at the National Stadium.