National Elite Championship – Semi Final Results
12 boxers have booked their places in the 2026 National Elite Championship final on Saturday – which included the return to the National Stadium of double Olympic champion, Kellie Harrington.
Harrington has set up a meeting with Kellie – McLoughlin. The latter, of St. Catherine’s BC Dublin is the reigning Elite champion and was the 5-0 winner in her semi final against Ulster Elite champ Ella McDonald (Corpus Christi BC Belfast). Kellie Harrington renewed rivalry with Tramore BC’s Zara Breslin, and won the 5-0 decision.
Ide Cashel of Ballymun BC has set up an Elite finals Dublin derby against European U23 bronze medalist Tiffany Spencer (Jobstown BC), following a unanimous decision win over Monkstown, Dublin’s Carol Coughlan.
Double European U23 medalist and reigning Ulster Elite champ Louis Rooney of Star BC Belfast and multiple Elite champion, Sean Mari of Monkstown BC Dublin will meet in the 50kg following 5-0 victories over their respective semi-final opponents: Rickey Nesbitt of Holy Trinity, Belfast and Antonio Bozkaya of South Meath BC.
2025 World bronze medalist, Patsy Joyce of Olympic BC Mullingar now knows his 55kg final opponent – Clepson dos Santos of Holy Trinity BC Belfast was the 4-1 semi final winner of Spartans Ballyclare’s Scott Thompson.
Double Olympian, multiple Commonwealth Games medalist and Elite titles record holder, Michaela Walsh of Holy Family GG Belfast will take on Sarah Cunningham of O’Rourkes BC, Dublin in the finals on January 17th. Both were unanimous decision winners over respective opponents Niamh Fay (Phoenix of Ballyboughal Dublin) and Keelyn Mangan (Celtic Eagles BC, Galway).
The Women’s 65kg final will be one between Dublin and Cork. World bronze medalist, Grainne Walsh (St. Mary’s, Tallaght) took on European U23 medalist, Ava Henry of Dublin Docklands, and claimed the 5-0 decision. In the second semi, reigning Ulster Elite champ Kaci Rock of Holy Trinity BC took on Rylane BC Cork’s Linda Desmond. The unanimous decision went to Desmond.
There are two Elite champions-by-walkover: Emma Keating of Paulstown BC, Kilkenny at 80kg and Cliona D’Arcy of Tobar Pheadair BC, Galway at 80+kg
The Elite Championships, Ireland’s premier amateur boxing tournament, was first hosted in 1922 at the Abbey Theatre Dublin after an earlier All-Ireland event in 1920, eventually finding a permanent home at the purpose-built National Stadium in 1939. Double Olympian and multiple Commonwealth Games medalist, Michaela Walsh of Holy Family GG Belfast, holds the record for winning the most Elite titles, having won her 13th at the 2025 National Elite Championships.
All images: ©INPHO/Dan Clohessy
RESULTS:
1. 48kg Ide Cashell (Ballymun BC, Dublin) beat Carol Coughlan (Monkstown Dublin), 5-0
2. 50kg Louis Rooney (Star BC Belfast) beat Ricky Nesbitt (Holy Trinity BC, Belfast), 5-0
3. 50kg Sean Mari (Monkstown Dublin) beat Antonio Bozkaya (East Meath BC), 5-0
4. 55kg Clepson dos Santos (Holy Trinity BC Belfast) beat Scott Thompson (Spartans BC Ballyclare), 4-1
5. 57kg Michaela Walsh (Holy Family GG Belfast) beat Niamh Fay (Phoenix of Ballybougal BC, Dublin), 5-0
6. 57kg Sarah Cunningham (O’Rourkes BC, Dublin) beat Keelyn Mangan (Celtic Eagles BC, Galway), 5-0
7. 60kg Kellie Harrington (St Mary’s BC Tallaght) beat Zara Breslin (Tramore BC, Waterford), 5-0
8. 60kg Kellie McLoughlin (St Catherine’s BC, Dublin) beat Ella McDonald (Corpus Christi BC Belfast), 5-0
9. 65kg Grainne Walsh (St Marys Tallaght) beat Ava Henry (Dublin Docklands), 4-1
10. 65kg Linda Desmond (Rylane BC, Cork) beat Kaci Rock (Holy Trinity BC, Belfast), 5-0
11. 75kg Tadgh O’Donnell (Jobstown BC, Dublin) W/O
12. 80kg Josh Olaniyan (Jobstown BC, Dublin) beat James Whelan (Dublin Docklands), 5-0
