Michael O’Reilly and Irvine progress at worlds in Doha

Two out of three ain’t bad, but there was heartache for Dean Walsh to go with joy for Michael O’Reilly and Brendan Irvine at the World Championships in Doha last night.

All three boxers were competing at the worlds for the first time, but at a competition that Billy Walsh ranks as the “hardest in the world”, it was a bitter blow for the Irish head coach to see his nephew Dean bow out following a split-decision opening-round loss.

However, the evening’s two victories suggest Irish boxing’s High-Performance conveyor belt will keep on ticking nonetheless after a solid start to the tournament, which is also a qualifier for the 2016 Rio Games.