Sport

Joyce and Donnelly top bill in Ballymena

IRELAND'S top welterweight, Steven Donnelly, will renew his rivalry with John Joe Joyce as part of a major club versus club face-off in Ballymena on Saturday night.

St Michael's, Athy - one of the most successful clubs in Ireland - travel to the Leighinmohr House Hotel for an 11-fight programme against host club All Saints, Ballymena, with Donnelly versus Joyce topping the bill on a night that promises plenty of top-quality action.

It will be the fourth time Ulster champion Donnelly will have gone toe-to-toe with Joyce, who competed for Ireland at the 2008 Olympic Games and was national champion from 2008-2010. Joyce won the first two contests, but Donnelly emerged on the right side of a split decision after a thrilling battle in the last four of the Irish Elite Championships at the National Stadium last month.

Although the Ballymena man - who was last week named on the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games team - went on to defeat 2012 Olympian Adam Nolan in the welterweight final to clinch his first national elite title, Donnelly has since said Joyce was his toughest opponent. All Saints coach Gerry Hamill agrees, and says spectators can expect further fireworks on Saturday night. "It'll be a smashing fight - how often do you see a contest like this? Guys at this level tend to avoid each other, so it's great to see two really talented fighters getting in the ring," he said. "Donnelly's going to the Commonwealths, and he knows himself that he might not meet anybody any better than Joyce in Glasgow."

All the proceeds raised this weekend will go towards funding the All Saints' 10-day training camp in Boston and New York from April 24-May 3, where Hamill hopes the new breed of fighters at the club can follow the example set by Steven Donnelly. Indeed, during last year's visit to America's east coast, Donnelly got the better of highly-rated Rashidi Ellis, who has since turned pro and has a record of 5-0, with three knock-outs.

Tickets cost £15 on the door, with the action starting at 7.30pm.

SCHEDULE

40kg: O Doherty v M Ward 42kg: T McMullan v P Ward 46kg: R McDonnell v P McInneny 48kg: E Onwuka v M Ward 50kg: A Kelly v D O'Driscoll 57kg: J Scullion v H Joyce 60kg: R Moore v B Condrum 60kg: C Magee v M Cahill 64kg: V Esler v M Noonan 69kg: S Donnelly v JJ Joyce 80kg: M McCafferty v C Joyce