Sports

Walsh and O'Rourkes advance but McConnell and Gallagher out

Nairavoice · Sep 23, 2026 · 3 min read

Michaela Walsh banked Team Ireland’s fourth medal at the European Boxing Championships with a come-from-behind victory over Bulgaria’s Stanimira Petrova in Sofia.

Sisters Aoife and Lisa O’Rourke reached their respective finals, but Jude Gallagher bowed out at the quarter-final stage and Jon McConnell will settle for bronze.

Belfast’s Walsh, 33, who collected silver at this summer’s Commonwealth Games, was a unanimous decision winner [30-27, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28] to move into the featherweight semi-final.

There she will face Hungary’s Kukhta Vlagyszlava in Thursday’s evening session.

“I knew this would be a tough fight, but coming into this tournament I really started to believe in myself,” Walsh told Boxing Ireland.

“I’ve been around the world and have done it so many teams. I can be my own harshest critic but I know I can give performances like that.

“I said to myself I’m not leaving Bulgaria without a medal and I’m so happy to get a performance like that and come out with a unanimous decision.”

It was a cagey start with Petrova gradually bringing her right into play off the jab after Walsh had some joy with raids on the inside, yet it was the Bulgarian ahead on four of the cards after the first.

Walsh was busier to start the second, scoring with two right hands and was showing more aggression, while her timing saw her find the mark in an impressive showing to sweep the round and lave it all to play for on four of the cards.

It was back to cagey in the third, Petrova landing with the only shot of note in the opening half with Walsh then bringing her own jab into play and finished strong in the final 30 seconds which saw her again sweep the round and take the victory.

McConnell settles for bronze as O’Rourkes reach finals

Belfast’s McConnell will leave Sofia with a bronze medal after falling to a 4-1 split decision defeat in his light-middleweight semi-final against Nabi Isgandarov.

It was a competitive start but Azerbaijan’s Isgandarov got the better of the opener on four of the five cards.

McConnell responded superbly in the second with his movement and sharp shots helping him sweep the round and level the scores on four of the cards.

It was a scrappy final round but Isgandarov’s work was perhaps a little cleaner as he got the nod on all five cards, earning him a place in the final.

Earlier, Aoife O’Rourke beat Russia’s Saltanat Medenov 4-1as the reigning world champion set up the chance to win her fourth European gold medal in Friday’s middleweight decider against Turkey’s Busra Isildar.

Younger sister Lisa reached the light-heavyweight final with a convincing 5-0 win over Ukraine’s Iryna Lutsak. She will face Russia’s Anastasiia Demurchian for gold on Thursday.

Gallagher edged out by narrow margin

Gallagher was edged out in his lightweight quarter-final on a 3-2 split by Spain’s Ewart Andres Marin Hernandez.

The County Tyrone man appeared to have grown into the contest after a close opening round, but it was not to be as he lost out on the thinnest of margins, with the bout scored 30-27, 29-28, 29-28, 28-29, 28-29 in Hernandez’s favour.

Cuban-born Hernandez’s speed out of the southpaw stance, combined with excellent movement off the back foot, saw him edge the first round on three of the five cards.

Gallagher was enjoying his moments too, applying smart pressure as he found a home for the left and his strength appeared to tell int he second as Hernandez seemed to tire, yet four of the five judges preferred the Spaniard’s work.

It left a big job for Gallagher in the final round as Hernandez – whose untied lace bought him some extra seconds before the start of the round – summoned the energy for a decent start, but was tagged by left hands down the stretch.

These shots were not enough for the Newtownstewart man as his campaign came to an end despite displeasure at the result from the Team Ireland corner.