McShane, McCole await National Elite draw

Paddy McShane and Matthew McCole have entered the 2023 Irish Elite Championships.

Letterkenny Boxing Club's McShane and Illies Golden Gloves puncher McCole are in tough weight categories.

The Donegal boxers are awaiting Tuesday afternoon's draw to learn their fate.

McShane won the Irish flyweight title in October, 2021,defeating Paudraic Downey from Antrim on a 3-2 split decision.

The 57kgs grade promises to be a real ding-dong affair.

We have plenty of work to do - Paddy Carr

Donegal boss Paddy Carr admits that his playing squad is stretched at this moment and lads are having to adjust that little bit quicker to the pace of things at this level as a result

Commonwealth Games gold medallist Jude Gallagher and two-time Elite kingpin Adam Hession are among the entrants although a hand injury continues to raise questions about Gallagher's participation.

McCole has Olympic bronze medallist Aidan Walsh for company in the 71kgs division.

Walsh, operating out of Emerald ABC in Belfast, was the men's welterweight bronze medal winner at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Also included among the entry list is four-time elite champion Dean Walsh.

McCole had a good 2022. The three-time Irish Colleges champion won a bronze medal at the 2022 FISU University World Cup Combat Sports in Turkey.

The ATU Donegal student defeated Hungary’s Soma Mester in his quarter-final, guaranteeing a place in the semi-final, but a clash of heads forced his withdrawal from the semi-final.