I’m going to take away Myers’s title, vows Barnes

Two-time Olympic medallist Paddy Barnes reckons he has the firepower to dethrone Hughie Myers when they meet in a rematch of their 2012 Elite Championships final at the National Stadium in Dublin.

The Belfast and Kildare duo won their light-fly Elite semi-finals last night and will face off for a second time in two years at the Stadium next Friday.

Myers, who was beaten (21-17) by Barnes in the 2012 decider, claimed the 49kg crown last year after Barnes withdrew with an illness. He beat Thomas Waites of the Cairn Lodge BC in Belfast last night.

The Ryston BC orthodox, a silver medallist at the 2012 European U/23 Championships, earned a unanimous decision (30-27,29-28,29-28) over the Belfast fighter.

Myers took a standing count in the third after an accidental clash of heads.

Barnes beat lively Derry southpaw Blaine Dobbins, who took a standing count off a flashing right from the two-time Olympic bronze medallist in the third.

“The last time I underestimated Hughie Myers and went in there to try and blow him away. He fights well and hits and moves, so that’s his main weapon and it was a close fight,” said Barnes.

“Now I know how to fight him. I’ve sparred him countless times and know what he does. He’s good at what he does, but I’m just going to go out there and take it away from him.”

London 2012 bronze medallist Michael Conlan, Lynn McEnery, Adam Courtney, Tyrone McCullagh, Sean McComb and David Oliver Joyce also won last night.

Meanwhile, Olympians Darren O’Neill and Adam Nolan will be in action tonight, but Joe Ward has received a bye into the light-heavy-final after Sean McGlinchey pulled out with the flu.

Ward’s coach, Eddie Bolger, said the 2011 European Elite champion would have preferred three rounds.

“It’s nice to get a few rounds under the belt before a final, but competitive rounds are always better,” he said.

Darren O’Neill said: “I was going for my fourth title last year, but Jason [Quigley] beat me on a count back. If there was another 10 seconds left in that fight I would have won, as he was out on his feet.

“In fairness to Jason, he took his chance and he went on to win European gold and World silver. I won’t be taking anyone or anything for granted on Saturday night.”

Twelve semi-finals will be decided tonight. The men’s finals will be held next Friday and broadcast on TG4. The women’s finals will be decided next Saturday evening.