Brett McGinty faces Dubliner Peter Carr tomorrow night with a place in the Irish Elite welterweight final up for grabs.
By Chris McNulty, Donegal Sport Hub
Oakleaf ABC puncher McGinty clashes with Carr, from Crumlin ABC, in the second of the weekend’s welterweight semis at the National Stadium, with Dean Walsh (St Ibar’s) and Tiernan Bradley (Sacred Heart, Omagh) meeting tonight.
Walsh overcame Dungloe’s Mark McCole last weekend, while McGinty defeated Mourne’s Ross Boyle on a night when the St Johnston man called the judging into question.
“It was surprising, but I’m glad I got the decision. A win’s a win,” McGinty reflected after edging a 3-2 verdict having appeared to be dominant against Boyle.
“It’s hard to understand the thinking: How can two judges give you the fight and two others go against you?
“I thought it was a decent fight. I wasn’t near 100 per cent. From the first 30 seconds I had felt him out and knew what he was capable of.”
McGinty is an eight-time Irish champion and has medalled in the Irish vest, too. A bronze medal winner at the 2012 European Schoolboy Championships, he returned from the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games with a silver.
Last week was his first taste of Elite action, though and, crucially, was also his first competitive bout without headgear.
McGinty said: “It’s hard to get used to. I did a spar with Sean McGlinchey a couple of years ago.
“The first couple of shots you get, you’re only thinking you felt it. It will suit me eventually. I know now what to expect.
“It was good to get that first one out of the way. Elite level is a completely different set-up. It’s all about the transition. There’s one transition from schoolboy to youth, but this is a completely different ball game.”
McGinty was caught with a flailing elbow last week, but went into the final verse just aiming to avoid any silly shots.
He said: “In the last round I was concentrating on not getting hit and just making sure everything was right. It wasn’t a cruise, but I thought I was two rounds up.
“My performance will need to get better for the semi-final.”
Letterkenny Institute of Technology student Saidhbh Greene faces Dealgan’s Emma Agnew in a 64kgs semi tonight. Greene trains at Twin Towns ABC while in Donegal and will be hopeful of making a final, with Cheyanne O’Neill (Athlone) and Ciara Ginty (Geesala) facing off in the second semi tomorrow night.
Illies Golden Gloves light-fly Darryl Moran is already guaranteed a place in next Friday’s final and will know his opponent tonight when Blaine Dobbins and Connor Jordan meet.
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