Six Irish boxers involved in the European qualifying tournament in Istanbul were all beaten last week. Two, who had advanced earlier, were both beaten narrowly last Friday night.

Pat O'Donnell, the Irish flyweight champion from the Dockers club in Belfast, was beaten by the Scotsman Alex Arthurs on a score of 6-4, while Adrian Sheerin from Swinford, the Irish light heavyweight champion, was beaten by the Yugoslav-Austrain Dimitri Zobrovomir by the narrowest of margins, 9-8. It was a disappointing experience for the Irish but all is not lost and nominees at other weights are still in contention and will box in Halle in Germany next month in the hope that they can advance to the European finals proper in Belarus (May 16th-26th). So far only the Belfast middleweight Brian Magee, who is also Irish champion, has qualified for the finals.

Those travelling to Halle to make their bid to qualify for the championships proper are Joe Rooney (light flyweight) from the Star club in Belfast, Bernard Dunne from the CIE club in Dublin who is a bantamweight, Eamon McEneaney from Dundalk who boxes at lightweight and Neil Gough from Waterford who is the Irish welterweight champion.