Ulster Amateur Boxing Championships: Gold Coast hopefuls among winners

Sean McComb boxed cleverly to beat Caoimhin Ferguson in the light-welterweight final

Commonwealth Games hopefuls Brendan Irvine, Steven Donnelly and Sean McComb were among the winners at the Ulster Elite Boxing Championships in Belfast.

Conor Quinn tested Irvine in a thrilling west Belfast battle at flyweight before the Rio Olympian fought back to take a unanimous win.

Donnelly picked up Ulster honours in a fourth weight as he edged out holder Fergus Quinn in a middleweight battle.

McComb impressed as he beat Caoimhin Ferguson at light-welterweight.

St George's James McGivern looks likely to be another strong contender for success in Gold Coast after an impressive lightweight final win over 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Sean Duffy.

McGivern, 19, was given the boxer of the night award after dominating against Holy Trinity man Duffy as the championships made its return to its spiritual home of the Ulster Hall after a six-year gap.

Brendan Irvine clinched the flyweight title at the Ulster Hall

Irvine regroups from slow start to beat Quinn

Clonard youngster Quinn caught St Paul's Irvine with a couple of superb lefts in the opening round of the flyweight final but the Olympian's change of tactics in the two closing rounds as he picked off his opponent from range saw him wrest back control of the contest.

"I started slowly in the first round and kind of got dragged into his fight," said Irvine, 21.

"But I picked it up in the second round and third and I thought I won it comfortably in the end."

McComb, a European Games bronze medallist two years ago, used his height and reach very effectively to take a deserved unanimous verdict over talented youngster Ferguson.

"The Commonwealth Games team has yet to be officially announced but I am very confident about going there and hopefully getting a bit of revenge over Luke McCormack and winning gold," said Holy Trinity fighter McComb.

McComb beat the Russian world number one at this year's European Championships but then missed out on a medal after a controversial quarter-final defeat McCormack.

Donnelly clinches sixth Ulster title

Donnelly, who reached the quarter-finals of the welterweight division in Rio, opted to trade with Camlough man Quinn in a bruising middleweight final.

The tactic looked questionable for much of the contest against the more seasoned 75 kilogram fighter.

However, the 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist's more accurate work in the closing round saw him earning a 4-1 split verdict from the judges as he picked up his sixth Ulster title.

Monkstown's Aidan Walsh won the battle of the previous Commonwealth Youth Games medallists in the welterweight final as he edged out Donegal man Brett McGinty on a split decision.

Walsh's clever footwork and clever counter-punching saw him regular pick off McGinty in the opening two rounds.

As Walsh tired in the closing three minutes, Oak Leaf clubman McGinty finally began to land regularly but it was still something of a surprise that not all five judges plumped for the county Antrim man.

Ceire Smith was a dominant winner in the women's flyweight final

With Irish and Ulster number one Kurt Walker missing the championships because of a thumb injury, Eamonn McNally of St Michael's earned a desperately tight verdict over Glengormley's Conor Kerr in the bantamweight decider.

The most conclusive work of the contest appeared to be done by Kerr in the second round as he picked off McNally on several occasions but after another close third round, the Glengormley club-man was awarded a split decision.

The heavyweight final was another desperately close fight with Emerald's Damien Sullivan given the verdict over Holy Trinity's Jason Baron.

Finals night also saw two women's contests with St John Bosco's Kristina O'Hara dominating her light-flyweight decider against brave Lisburn youngster Chloe Fleck and classy Cavan woman Ceire Smith proving too strong for Ormeau Road's Carly McNaul in the flyweight final.

Titles won on walkovers

There were also four women's titles awarded on walkovers which included Michaela Walsh in the featherweight division along with lightweight Alanna Nihell, middleweight Sarah Close and light-heavyweight Caroline Connolly.

The men's light-flyweight and light-heavyweight titles were won on walkovers by Carrickmacross' Ricky Nesbitt and Holy Family Drogheda's Conor Wallace.

Nesbitt fought an exhibition fought against Jason McKay while Wallace beat Athy's John Joyce in a non-title contest added to the card.