Bann carrying Ulster hopes in final four

BANBRIDGE Academy will fly the flag for Ulster when the Crowne Plaza Irish Schoolboy series concludes this afternoon.

The Academy were the only one of the eight schools from the province to make it to the last four and are joined by holders St Andrew’s, High School, and Newtown — all from Dublin.

The semi-finals are at Queen’s and Shaw’s Bridge this morning (9.30am) with the decider at Shaw’s Bridge in the afternoon (2.30pm).

Bann beat Wesley 2-0 in their On the mark: Philip Campbell scored twice for Banbridge

final Pool A game yesterday with two goals from Eddie Rowe and, earlier in the day, they beat Kilkenny 4-1, with Rowe and Philip Campbell each scoring twice. Irish Schoolboys: Pool A: Kilkenny 1 (M Neill) Banbridge 4 (P Campbell 2, E Rowe 2); Bangor 1 (C Thompson) Wesley 3 (M Gallagher, B O’Grady, J Greaney); Banbridge 2 (E Rowe) Wesley College 1 (A Galbraith); Bangor 2 (H Dow 2) Kilkenny 3 (M Neill 2, E McClure). Pool B: Regent 1 (D McClune) High School 3 (A Empey 2, R Howard); Newpark 1 (L Adams) Sullivan 2 (D Erskine, M Willis); High School 2 (H Lynch, E Breen) Sullivan 2 (P Rose, S Anderson); Newpark 5 Regent 1. Pool C: RBAI 1 (H McNellis) St Andrew’s 7 (S Walker 3, S Byrne 2, B Hicknott, J Filgas); Wallace (J Lynch, B Clarke, T Chambers) Ashton 3 (P McCarthy, A Salter, L O’Donovan); RBAI 0 Ashton 1 (K O’Dea); St Andrew’s 3 (S McCann 2, J Pullen) Wallace 2 (T Chambers 2). Pool D: Villiers 1 Friends 5 (C Quinn 2, O Kidd, H Scott, R Johnston); Newtown 2 (B Johnson 2) MCB 1 (M Campton); Friends 0 Newtown 2; MCB 3 (M Campton 2, P Jack) Villiers 5 (Q Eacrett 2, C Ryan, S Lilburn, C Sparling) BALLYMENA prospect Steven Donnelly is aiming to make a big impression when he boxes at Madison Square Garden for the first time tomorrow night.

Donnelly, seeking to chalk up a fourth consecutive victory, is relishing the chance to fulfil a long-held ambition of boxing in the prestigious arena on the supporting bill to the vacant IBF world middleweight title clash between Danny Jacobs and Sergiy Derevyanchenko.

“This is a great opportunity for me. The fights are coming Sizing up: Steven Donnelly is relishing his MSG debut

thick and fast, it’s my fourth fight in two months and it couldn’t be on a better stage,” said Donnelly.

“Every boxer wants to fight at Madison Square Garden and to have the chance to do it in my fourth fight is great.

“I want to make the Americans sit up and take notice of me. It may be just a four-rounder but it’s still a chance to show the big promoters like Lou DiBella that I have a lot to offer.

“I’ve even got special shorts made for the occasion — the Stars and Stripes ones like Apollo Creed wore in the Rocky movies. That should catch the eye!

“But at the same time I want to have a better performance than my last one.

“I know that I’m improving and I want to go out and show that I’m ready to kick on to a tougher challenge.”