Lee supports club trio

BOXING: Irish Sports Council-financed Olympian Andy Lee will be trying to influence success from outside as well as inside the ring this weekend.

Lee will be at the National Stadium this evening to support three St Francis, Limerick, club-mates in the National Intermediate semi-finals before moving on to Paulstown in Kilkenny to box an exhibition in aid of the tsunami disaster fund.

The Limerick club have already attained notable success by gaining penultimate places through the talents of Colin Moynihan, Vincent Kinsella and Paddy Glacken.

Moynihan faces the toughest task against David Oliver Joyce of St Michael's, Athy, at 54 kilos while Kinsella takes on Paul Cowzer (Darndale) at 57 kilos with Glacken going in at 81 kilos against Martin Stokes of Crumlin.

In Kilkenny Lee steps through the ropes to box reigning Irish light heavyweight under-21 champion Dara O'Neill.

TONIGHT: Semi-finals: 54 kgs: D O'Joyce (St Michael's, Athy) v C Moynihan (St Francis, Limerick). 57kgs: V Kinsella (St Francis, Limerick) v P Cowzer (Darndale); C Bates (St Mary's) v B McCafferty (St John Bosco, Belfast). 60 kgs: J P McDonagh (St Paul's, Waterford) v T Dillon (Drimnagh). 69 kgs: T Duddy (Ring Derry) v F Redmond (Arklow). 81kgs: P Glacken (St Francis, Limerick) v M Stokes (Crumlin); B O'Mahoney (Arklow) v S Martin (St John Bosco, Belfast). 91 plus kgs: P Naughton (Flaherty's) v S Belshaw (City of Lisburn); J O'Donnell (Conamara) v P O'Rourke (Ballybrack).