Offaly's Gráinne Walsh suffers controversial defeat with Olympic spot on the line

Tullamore native Gráinne Walsh lost 3-2 to Aneta Rygielska of Poland in the quarter-finals of the Olympic boxing qualifier in Busto Arsizio.

HEARTBREAK: Grainne Walsh of Ireland, left, is consoled by Aneta Rygielska of Poland. Picture: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

In a heartbreaking bout, and with a place in Paris 2024 on the line, Gráinne Walsh lost her 66kg Olympic boxing qualifier quarter-final to Aneta Rygielska of Poland on Monday in Italy.

It was a 3-2 split decision defeat for the Offaly native. Walsh had good reason to feel hard done by in the narrow loss. In the second round, the Pole was docked a point for holding and given a standing eight count. Despite this, three of the five judges still awarded the round to Rygielska.