DARREN O’NEILL and Paddy Barnes will represent Ireland in the finals of the European senior boxing championships in Moscow today after more outstanding performances from Billy Walsh’s squad in the semi-finals at the Ice Palace yesterday.

EMPHATIC quarter-final victories for Olympic bronze medallist Paddy Barnes and Athy lightweight Eric Donovan mean Ireland is assured of five bronze medals, with the opportunity to cash them in for silver, at least, in tomorrow’s semi-finals at the European Senior Boxing Championships in Moscow.

JOHN JOE NEVIN laid claim to a bronze medal and put himself in line for even greater things when he outpointed Chinese bantamweight Yu Gu, 7-5, to qualify for tomorrow semi-finals at the World boxing championships in Milan.

Ken Egan and Willie McLaughlin both bowed out of the AIBA World Championships at the quarter final stage in Milan this afternoon.