There will be an extra motivation for the members of Ireland’s senior men’s team as they line out for their clubs in the Irish Senior Cup’s opening round this weekend.

Since the demise of the senior interprovincial tournament, its junior counterpart has taken on ever-increasing relevance and it again comes to Cork this weekend.

There was an explosive start to last night’s Elite amateur boxing international between Ireland and France at the Rochestown Park Hotel in Cork, double bronze medallist Paddy Barnes leading out an Olympian one-two-three for the home side with a second-round stoppage of young light-flyweight Dylan Beccu, a stunning right hand right on the bell doing the damage.

Drama and disappointment at the opening weekend of the Elite National Boxing Championships at the National Stadium last night, three more champions losing their titles even before a punch was thrown.

JOE WARD (Moate) had a word of warning for Kenny Egan on Saturday night after he comprehensively outpointed former world youths bronze medallist Davy Joe Joyce (St. Michael’s, Athy) in the semi-finals of the national senior championships to qualify for the finals.

Irish boxers claimed one silver and three bronze medals at the Junior Multi Nations in Baku Azerbaijan.

Ireland beat Wales 7-5 at the Clan Naofa Boxing club in Dundalk last Friday night in a keenly contested Boy 4 international.