London calling for Irish boxing trio:

John Joe Nevin celebrates his Olympic passage

            There is wide consensus that whatever chance Ireland of winning medals at next year's Olympics will come from our plethora of boxing stars.   
            Belfast teenager Michael Conlan will be hoping to show the Irish rugby the way as he faces a Welsh man in the World Championship quarter-finals tomorrow.

            Conlan, Darren O'Neill and John Joe Nevin secured their place in London 2012 by reaching the last eight in their respective weight divisions at the World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan tonight.

Michael Conlan celebrates shock win

            However, Joe Ward agonsingly lost out on a place at the Games of the XXX Olympiad on a countback to Ehsan Rouzbahani of Iran after a 15-15 tie.  The now 18 year old conquerer of Beijing silver medalist Kenny Egan can count himself very unlucky as he led by two points going into the final minute.

             Athy pair Roy Sheehan and David Oliver Joyce and narrowly missed out with the former particularly unlucky to be deducted two points for pushing in the final five seconds and going on to lose by two points.

LONDON BOUND: Darren O'Neill

             Ward, Joyce and Sheehan, meantime, will be keeping their fingers crossed over the coming days.  The two last-16 losers beaten by the finalists in the eight weight classes from light-fly to light-heavy will qualify for the Olympics, so the Irish trio will be hoping that their conquerors go on to box for gold.