Ireland beat Scotland 6-3 at the National Stadium (boxing)

Chris Phelan, Danny Coughlan, Jason Conroy, Tyrone McKenna, Davey Joe Joyce and Patrick O'Shea all claimed wins at the South Circular Road venue.Phelan got Ireland's campaign off to a flying start with a resounding win over Liam Holts in the opening duel of tonight's "Celtic derby".


The Ryston flyweight, who reach last February's Elite 52Kg final, obliged Holts to take a standing count in the third on his way to a 15-1 verdict. However, Limerick's Myles Casey, a brother of Willie Casey, who was at the Stadium supporting Myles tonight, lost out to John Thomson in the second flyweight decider of the evening.


St Anne's bantamweight Danny Coughlan edged Ireland back in front in the third bout of the evening with a countback win over Stephen Tiffney and Crumlin's Jason Conroy impressed en route to an eight point margin of victory over Andrew McKenzie. Tyrone McKenna made it 4-1 to Ireland with a 10-6 decision over Callum Susans in the 64Kg class.Susans claimed a Scottish Senior title on a countback at the Time Capsule in Coatfield last weekend.


Scotland, who deserve enormous credit for taking this international at such short notice after India - who were originally slated to meet Ireland tonight - announced they would not be coming to Dublin, pulled two back courtesy of wins for James Thomson and Christopher Givan over Stephen Carroll and Fergal Redmond, Givan triumphing on the second countback of the evening.


However, Davey Joe Joyce sealed the win for Ireland with a third round stoppage of Scott Hartley, the 2011 Scottish Senior finalist.Cork's Patrick O'Shea put the icing on the cake of a fine performance from the Irish team with a 12-7 win over Steve Nicol, also a 2011 Scottish Senior finalist.