‘Nearly man’ David Oliver Joyce finally ready to seize moment

David Oliver Joyce’s boyhood dream comes true at 5.30pm local time tomorrow evening when he steps into the ring as the first of Ireland’s boxers to compete in the Olympic Games in Rio.

Nobody could be prouder. Nobody more deserving. It is an Olympic debut that has been years coming and, for a long time, seemed it never would.

The boy from Athy was 12 when he first won an Irish title. Six Elite Irish titles have followed and a European title.