Sport

Boxing video: John McConnell among Ireland's rising boxing stars facing final challenges

Some of Ireland's finest young amateur boxing prospects are on view this Friday night at the National Stadium on Dublin's South Circular Road.

Among the contenders for Irish Under 18 Championship titles is rising Belfast star John McConnell, who bids to clock up a fifth win in four weeks.

A 2018 European youth bronze medallist, the Holy Trinity lad has already had to fight four times and win on his way to the lightweight decider.

Kilcullen’s Aodhan Byrne will present a tough hurdle in the final encounter.

Teenager McConnell hard at work with coach Michael Hawkins at the busy Holy Trinity gym in Turf Lodge in west Belfast.

Among other boxers putting in the hard graft in gyms across Ulster in preparation for Friday's Stadium bill is Raphoe’s Leah Gallen, who defeated Bracken’s Dominika Gulli in last Friday's semis.

That win earned her the right to face-off against Crumlin’s Shelby Myers for the welterweight crown, while St Paul’s prospect Dylan Eagleson takes on Letterkenny’s Paddy McShane in the light-flyweight class

Gleann’s Martin Brady-McCullough takes on Jack Connors (St David’s, Naas) for the 56kg Irish title.

Irish Under 18 Boxing Championship finals

National Stadium, South Circular Road, Dublin

This Friday (6.30pm)

W42kg: C Blake (Ardagh/Crossmolina) Walkover (WO)

W46kg: N Buckley (St Carthage’s) WO

46kg: B Collins (East Down) WO

W48kg: C Lafferty (Raphoe) v B Quilligan (Rathkeale)

49kg: P McShane (Letterkenny) v D Eagleson (St Paul’s, Antrim)

W51kg: C Gabriel (Mulhuddart) v R Lawless (Portlaoise)

52kg: B Saunders (Dublin Docklands) v J Rapple (Monkstown, Dublin)

W54kg: N Fay (Swords) WO

56kg: J Connors (St David’s, Naas) v M Brady-McCullough (Gleann)

W57kg: D Coogan (Marble City) WO

W60kg: K Attewell (Tobar Pheadair) v EM Gartland (Clonmel)

60kg: A Byrne (Kilcullen) v J McConnell (Holy Trinity)

W64kg: L Murphy (Togher) v N O’Sullivan (Corinthians)

64kg: M Tyndall (Dublin Docklands) v J McDonagh (St Paul’s, Waterford)

W69kg: S Myers (Crumlin) v L Gallen (Raphoe)

69kg: J Whelan (Dublin Docklands) v W Hayden (Crumlin)

W75kg: L O’Rourke (Castlerea) WO

75kg: E Lavin (Ballyhaunis) v P Lawlor (Brian Dillon’s)

W81kg: M Potter (Gateway) v B Doocey (Castlebar)

81kg: J Myers (Titans) v E Samba (Four Kings)

91kg: J Ward (Brosna) v J Marley (Monkstown, Dublin)

91+kg: N Ivanauskas (St David’s Naas) v Patrick Myers (Sligo City)