Walsh joy with Olympic hat-trick

HIGH Performance coach Billy Walsh set a target of three qualifiers for next year’s Olympic Games going into the World Boxing Championships in Baku and that was achieved yesterday with last 16 victories for Darren O’Neill, John Joe Nevin and Belfast teenager Michael Conlon.

There was disappointment, too, with European light heavyweight champion Joe Ward losing on a countback, David Oliver Joyce going under by just two points, Roy Sheahan also bowing out and the young Clonmel super heavyweight Con Sheehan being stopped in the third round of his clash with the Olympic and world champion Roberto Cammarelle of Italy.

Ward, Joyce and Sheahan could still qualify for London 2012 if their conquerors get to their respective finals but Sheehan was just one win short of that and must go to the qualification tournament in Turkey next year to try again.