Conlan fighting to make final

AIBA World No. 2 ranked bantamweight Michael Conlan is an injury doubt for Northern Ireland for today’s Commonwealth Games 56kg final in Glasgow.

Conlan, a bronze medallist for Ireland at the 2012 Olympics, is slated to meet England’s Qais Ashfaq for gold this afternoon.

But his appearance in his first Commonwealth final hinges on whether he passes this morning’s medical. Conlan suffered a nasty-looking cut over his right eye in yesterday’s semi-final win over Wales’ Sean McGolderick following an accidental clash of heads.

The fight was stopped late in the second on the advice of the ringside doctor. However, when it went back to the judges, Conlan, who was 20-18 ahead across the board, got the decision.

If the cut was caused by a punch and the fight stopped, McGolderick would have won. Welsh boxing chiefs appealed the verdict, but the appeal was dismissed.

Coach and cuts man Eddie Bolger believes the Irish Elite champion will get the green light to meet Ashfaq,

“We think he will be okay but it all depends on the medical tomorrow morning. It’s the same with any cut,” he said.

Paddy Barnes, who is ranked No. 3 in the world at flyweight, comfortably beat Ugandan light-fly Fazil Kaggwa last night.

Firing home four and five-punch combinations to the body and head, Barnes rarely moved out of second gear en route to a unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27).

The two-time Olympic bronze medallist will now meet India’s Laishram Devendro, who is ranked No. 3 in the world at light-fly, in this afternoon’s 49kg decider.

“I was saving myself for the final, I did what wanted to do,” said Barnes Michaela Walsh became the first woman – female boxing is making its Commonwealth debut in Glasgow – to reach a Commonwealth final.

The Belfast fly beat India’s World No. 11 Pinki Rani on a unanimous decision and will meet England’s current Olympic champion, Nicola Adams, in today’s final.

“It’s going to be a cracking fight,” said Leeds-native Adams, the current AIBA World No. 1.

Joe Fitzpatrick advanced last night after recording a convincing win over Michael Alexander of Trinidad & Tobago.

But Alanna Audley-Murphy, Sean McGlinchy, Sean Duffy, Stephen Donnelly and Connor Coyle bowed out at the semi-final stage last night. All five will be bringing home bronze.

Yesterday’s semi-finals brought the curtain down on boxing at Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC). Today’s finals will be held at the SSE Hydro (2pm).

Semi-finals 

49kg P Barnes (N Ireland) beat F Kaggwa (Uganda) 3-0

W51kg M Walsh (N Ireland) beat P Rani (India) 2-0

56kg M Conlan (N Ireland) beat S MGolderick (Wales) 3-0

60kg J Fitzpatrick (N Ireland) beat M Alexander (Trinidad & Tobago) 3-0

W60kg Audley-Murphy (N Ireland) lost to S Watts (Australia) 0-3

64kg S Duffy (N Ireland) lost to J Jonas (Namibia) 0-3

69kg S Donnelly (Northern Ireland) lost to J Mandeep (India) 1-2

75kg C Coyle (Northern Ireland) lost to V Vjender (India) 0-3

81kg S McGlinchy (N Ireland) lost to D Nyika (New Zealand) 0-3

Finals

49kg P Barnes v L Devendro (India)

51kg M Walsh v N Adams (England)

56kg M Conlan v Q Ashfaq (England)

60kg J Fitzpatrick v C Flynn (Scotland)