Walsh: ‘I have all the tools to beat Desmond’
BOXING OFFALY’S Gráinne Walsh has served Cork southpaw Christina Desmond with notice that her rookie days are well behind her ahead of tonight’s Elite 69kg showdown at Dublin’s National Stadium, WRITES BERNARD O’NEILL.
The defending champion meets Desmond, who beat Dutch Rio 2016 silver medallist Noucha Fontijn in 2016, in one of 17 finals at the home of Irish boxing.
World champion Kellie Harrington goes head-to-head with Serbia’s Jelena Jelic in a specially arranged international bout on tonight’s card live on TG4.
Desmond, a European bronze medallist, beat Walsh, an EU bronze medallist, on a unanimous decision in the 2013 Irish Intermediate final. Tonight’s rematch has an added significance on the road to Tokyo 2020 as welter is one of the new Olympic weights for women.
Walsh, who reached the last 16 at the World Elites in New Delhi last November, reckons she was only learning the ropes against the Leesider six years ago.
“I have all the tools to beat her so it’s gonna be a good night. I boxed her when I was only new to the sport. Times have changed and I’m a different athlete now.”
The men’s welter final featuring 2018 champion Kieran Molloy and Limerick’s Paddy Donovan has ‘fight of the night written’ all over it. Both men have won World Junior medals for Ireland.
HOCKEY
THE MEN’S national level sides face a monumental double-header weekend as the sparse nature of the pre-Christmas schedule begins to bite hard.
EY League leaders Glenanne are on the road twice, facing a feisty Dublin derby against Pembroke before going to Mourne coast to face Irish Senior Cup surprise package Kilkeel in the quarterfinals of that competition tomorrow.
Three Rock Rovers are another side on the road twice, going to Lisnagarvey in the league before facing a rematch against Banbridge, whom they drew 1-1 with at home, tomorrow in the cup. Rovers will hope to have John Mullins back from injury for the trip.
The women’s top-level action is confined to Old Alex’s back-match with Muckross in the EY Hockey League tomorrow with the latter needing to pick points and fast.
CYCLING
AN 11-rider team will represent Ireland at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Pruszków, Poland which starts on Wednesday. The focus has been on Olympic disciplines, particularly the Madison, which returns to the Olympic schedule in 2020 for the first time since 2008. Ireland has excelled in the Madison with last year’s World Championship pairing of Felix English and Mark Downey scoring ninth.
The pair have previously won Track World Cup gold in the discipline and will team up again in Poland, while threetime national road race champion Lydia Boylan and Rio 2016 Olympian Shannon McCurley compete in the women’s Madison.
Lydia Gurley will bid to better last year’s 15th in the women’s scratch and the Women’s Team Pursuit foursome of Orla Walsh, Kelly Murphy, Mia Griffin and Alice Sharpe will make their World Championships debut.
Meanwhile, on the road yesterday, Ryan Mullen finished an impressive fourth in the 20.3km time trial at the five-day Volta ao Algarve, which finishes tomorrow. Full team in Factfile
MOTORSPORT
THREE McLaren mechanics have been treated for injuries after a fire broke out in the British team’s garage. McLaren were taking part in a private filming day at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya when the incident occurred.
The trio were swiftly taken to the on-track medical centre to be examined where it is understood they received medical care for slight burns.
“There was a small fire in the garage during the team’s private filming day,” said a McLaren spokesperson. “The fire was quickly extinguished by the team and circuit emergency services, and medical teams attended immediately in support. Three team members were taken to the medical centre for treatment and released shortly after.”
It is unclear how the fire started at this stage, although the British team have launched an investigation.