SOFIA — Michaela Walsh secured Team Ireland's fourth medal at the European Boxing Championships with a come-from-behind unanimous decision win over Bulgaria's Stanimira Petrova in Sofia, while sisters Aoife and Lisa O'Rourke advanced to their respective finals as Jon McConnell settled for bronze and Jude Gallagher exited at the quarter-final stage.
Belfast's Walsh, 33, who collected silver at this summer's Commonwealth Games, prevailed 30-27, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28 to reach the featherweight semi-final where she will face Hungary's Kukhta Vlagyszlava in Thursday's evening session. Petrova led on four cards after a cagey opener, but Walsh swept the second with busier work and two right hands before closing strong in the final 30 seconds to sweep the third. "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 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."
Reigning world champion Aoife O'Rourke beat Russia's Saltanat Medenov 4-1 to set up a chance for a fourth European gold medal in Friday's middleweight final against Turkey's Busra Isildar. Younger sister Lisa was even more emphatic, earning a convincing 5-0 win over Ukraine's Iryna Lutsak to reach the light-heavyweight final against Russia's Anastasiia Demurchian on Thursday.
Belfast's McConnell will leave Sofia with a bronze medal after a 4-1 split decision defeat to Azerbaijan's Nabi Isgandarov in his light-middleweight semi-final. Isgandarov took the opener on four cards, McConnell responded to sweep the second and level the contest, but the Azerbaijani's cleaner work in a scrappy final round earned the nod from all five judges.
County Tyrone lightweight Gallagher was edged out 3-2 on a split decision by Spain's Ewart Andres Marin Hernandez in his quarter-final, scored 30-27, 29-28, 29-28, 28-29, 28-29. The Cuban-born southpaw's speed and movement helped him edge the first on three cards, and despite Gallagher's pressure and left hands down the stretch in the third, Hernandez held on as the Team Ireland corner showed its displeasure at the verdict.