Metcalfe finally nails elusive opponent

BOXING:JOE FITZPATRICK and Kieran Forde both claimed victories at yesterday evenings session at the European Youth Championships in Dublin.

But Thomas Conroy bowed out of the tournament after being stopped in round one by giant German super-heavyweight Florian Shulz.

Fitzpatrick exacted sweet revenge for a defeat to Vladyslav Vyetshkin of the Ukraine at last Junes Brandenburg Cup in Germany with a 14-13 win in the flyweight category this evening.

Galway light-welterweight Forde followed that up with a 14-8 verdict over Mitchell Buckland of Wales, who received a public warning for dropping his head in the second.

Earlier, Evan Metcalfe and Jack Morrissey maintained Irelands winning start to the Championships with victories in the afternoon session. Both boxers are now through to tomorrows quarter-finals and are just one win away for claiming at least bronze.

Dublin-born Metcalfe came from behind to beat Azerbaijani light-flyweight Kamran Malikov 12-11. Malikov – who was on the floor 13 times from slips, falls and dives – went to ground once too often in the third and ceded two points on foot of a public warning.

“He just kept falling in on me. I was trying to put up with the referee as well because he wasn’t giving him many warnings,” said Metcalfe, who was beaten in February’s Irish Elite final by 2010 European Senior champ Paddy Barnes.

“I’m just looking forward to a quarter-final now and trying to get into the medals,” added the Dubliner, who will meet Armenia’s Koryun Soghomonyan in the last eight tomorrow.

Wexford heavyweight Morrissey forced Alex Toth into a standing count in the second en route to a 16-10 win. “It was hard but obviously I enjoyed it. He could take a good shot. I admit I was tiring in the last round but I knew I had enough left, said Sacre Couer BC ace Morrissey, who was born on the same day (March 26th, 1993) as Irish team captain Michael McDonagh.