Offaly boxer bows out of European Championships at quarter-final stage

Offaly boxer Grainne Walsh has bowed out of the European Elite Women's Boxing Championships in Bulgaria at the quarter-final stage after a heartbreaking loss to Russia's Saadat Abdulaeva.

Grainne, who is a member of Spartacus Boxing Club in Tullamore, put in a superb performance and only lost out on a split decision in the 69kg division against her experienced opponent.

In the quarter-finals she recorded an impressive win stopping Serbian Marija Petkovic in the third round.

Cork middleweight Christina Desmond defeated Russia’s Oksana Trofimova to secure her place in Tuesday’s semi-finals and guarantee Ireland a medal