Cathal McLaughlin loses out in Elite semi-final

Cathal McLaughlin bowed out of the Irish Elite Championships on Saturday.

The Raphoe Boxing Club middleweight lost out to Jobstown’s Joshua Olaniyan at the National Stadium.

In their 75kgs semi-final, Olaniyan was handed the unanimous decision of the judges at ringside.

McLaughlin won the recent Irish Senior middleweight title, but came unstuck against Olaniyan despite turning in a good performance.

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Olaniyan will now face defending champion Christopher O’Reilly in next weekend’s final after the Drogheda puncher overcame Cody Lee Peoples from Flow Academy.

O’Reilly overcame Olaniyan in the 2023 Elite final in January.

McLaughlin had former Irish middleweight champion Jason Quigley in his corner alongside Raphoe Head Coach Gary McCullagh.

McLaughlin’s team-mate at Raphoe BC Danny Duffy will fight in the bantamweight final next Saturday night. Duffy will take on St Colman’s Cork boxer Oisin Worsencroft, who he defeated to win the senior title.

Illies Golden Gloves light-middle Matthew McCole will face Eugene McKeever in a semi-final on Friday. McKeever overcame Ballynacargy’s Wayne Kelly via unanimous decision with McCole, who received a walkover, laying in weight.

Letterkenny’s Paddy McShane had to withdraw from his featherweight joust with Adam Hession after falling ill on Thursday night.

Five Irish boxers - Olympic lightweight champion Kellie Harrington, Aoife O’Rourke, Michaela Walsh, Dean Clancy and Jack Marley - have already qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games.