The four national champions who defended their titles in the semifinals last night at the National Stadium all won and will be in action again next Friday night. Francie Barrett also made it through - but only after the closest of bouts.

Eugene McEneaney from Dundalk was a clear winner in the lightweight division when he beat Ronan Maher from Moate, and he will now meet Aodh Carlisle from the Sacred Heart Club in Dublin, who triumphed by 9-3 over Declan Barrett from Cork in the other semi-final.

At welterweight, Neil Gough from St Paul's in Waterford had an emphatic victory over John Morrissey from the Sunnyside in Cork, when their bout was stoped in round four, after a left hook had put Morrissey on the canvas.

Gough will now meet Francie Barrett in the final, a clash which promises to be the highlight of next weekend's events.

Barrett struggled quite a bit in his bout against Robert Murray from the St Matthew's club in Dublin and won by the narrowest of margins. Barrett was leading 3-1 after the first round and by 4-2 after the second, but Murray levelled at 4-4 after the third, and Barett struggled in the last two rounds to gain a place in the final on a verdict of 10-9.

In the middleweight division, Brian Magee from The Holy Trinity club in Belfast, another defending champion, had a facile 17-3 victory over Tommy Sheehan from the St Michael's club in Athy.

At heavyweight, reigning champion John Kiely stopped Eanna Falvey from St Colman's, Cork in round three when he left the Corkman on the canvas with a superb left hook. The referee stopped the bout.

Next weekend's finals certainly offer some interesting contests, with the bout between Gough and Barrett offering the most enticing contest. McEneaney's clash with Carlisle will also attract considerable numbers.

Later this evening defending flyweight champion Liam Cunningham from the Saints club in Belfast will meet Aidan McGahon from Togher in Cork in their semi-final, and another champion, Pat O'Donnell from the Dockers club in Belfast, will meet Michael Hobbs from Arklow in the featherweight division.

At light middleweight Michael Roche from Sunnyside in Cork will defend his title against Brian Geraghty from Crumlin. They will fight for the right to meet either Tom Fitzgerald from Cork or Bernard McDonagh from St Xavier's.

Stephen Reynolds from St Joseph's in Sligo will be interested in the outcome of the semi-final in the super heavyweight division between Tom Clare from Buncrana and John Kinsella from Crumlin.

Glenn Catley has turned to hypnotism to help him capture the British middleweight title from Neville Brown in Bristol tonight. The challenger insists the treatment has helped restore his self belief after being badly stopped by Hungarian Andras Galfi in June.