Katie Taylor’s old Finnish foe back to haunt Kellie Harrington in Sofia

Michaela Walsh and Kellie Harrington’s bid to become the only Irish female fighters beside Katie Taylor to reach a European Elite final ended on split decision reversals in Sofia, Bulgaria yesterday.

Dublin lightweight Harrington was beaten 4-1 by Finland’s Mira Potkonen, who beat Taylor at the Rio Olympics, and Belfast feather Walsh was edged on a 3-2 split by Russia’s Daria Abramova in the semi-finals of the 11th edition of the tournament.

Both Irish fighters will be bringing home bronze from the Bulgarian capital and they’ve improved Ireland’s all-time haul (male and female) at this level to 61 medals since the 1939 Europeans at Dublin’s National Stadium. Harrington’s punching was fluent throughout her three-rounder, but Potkonen’s heavier shots, which tend to impress judges more under pro style 10-point must scoring, maintained her two-year unbeaten run.