BOXING: EUROPEAN YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP:SKIPPER MICHAEL McDonagh got Ireland's European Youth Championship campaign off to a flying start with victory over hotly tipped Kristian Stepanov in Dublin yesterday.

The St Mary’s BC lightweight beat the Russian 12-9 to book his ticket into the last 16 at the Citywest Hotel where he’ll meet Aleijaksej Hohleu of Belarus tomorrow.

McDonagh and the Russian shared the first and second rounds 1-1 and 5-5, but the Dubliner staggered his opponent with a big right in the third en route to a win.

Amazingly, one of the five ringside judges scored the three-rounder 8-0 to the Russian, despite McDonagh’s dominance of the third frame.

“Having the Russian first, I knew what to expect and stepped my game up,” said the 18-year-old Elite Irish champ. “I knew he was very good, he won the Brandenburg Cup in Germany, although I wasn’t there. I’m not a cocky type, but I was a bit cocky in there with him, smiling to boost him up.”

George Bates made it an Ireland and St Mary’s BC double with a 22-8 win over Damyan Damyanov in the bantamweight class.

Meanwhile, Michael O’Reilly has received a bye into the last 16 where he’ll meet Ivegeni Barabanov of the Ukraine tomorrow.

O’Reilly beat Barbanov 17-9 en route to gold and the boxer of the tournament award at the Brandenburg Cup in Germany in June.

However, the Portlaoise BC welterweight is not reading too much into that win. “I beat him well last time out, but that was then and I won’t be taking anything for granted on Wednesday.”

Thirty eight nations are taking part in the championships which conclude on Saturday.