Olympics: Dublin boxer Kenny Egan has ensured Irish interest will run to the final day of the Olympic Games after he reached the light heavyweight final which takes place at the Workers' Gymnasium on Sunday morning.
Egan was a comprehensive 10-3 winner over Britain's Tony Jeffries in today's semi-final. The 26-year-old's win made up for the earlier disappointment when Darren Sutherland and Paddy Barnes both lost their respective semi-finals.
Sutherland's Olympic dream came to an end when he lost the middleweight semi-final 10-3 to long-time rival James DeGale from Britain.
In Barnes's case he was no match for China's Zou Shiming in the light flyweight semi-final and went down 15-0. The Belfast man was completely outclassed by the reigning world champion and failed to land a single scoring blow against the elusive home favourite.
In track and field there was little to write home about from an Irish standpoint. Jamie Costin finished 44th in the men's 50 kilometre walk, while Colin Griffin was disqualified.
Looking ahead to the weekend and Egan's final bout against China's Zhang Xiaopingin will undoubtedly be the highlight for Irish viewers. Those with hangovers from Saturday night can set their clock for 8.51am on Sunday as Egan bids to bring home gold.
The last Irish boxer to win gold was Michael Carruth in the 1992 Games in Barcelona.
Tomorrow's action will see Ireland's Alistair Crag run the final of the men's 5000m which gets under way at the Bird's Nest from 1.10pm. Beforehand Robin Seymour will compete in the Mountain Bike Men's Cross Country from 8am.
Martin Fagan will race in the men's marathon from 12.30am on Sunday.
Irish results: Friday
Athletics
Men's 50km Walk Final
44th - Jamie Costin (Ire)
Disqualified - Colin Griffin (Ire)
Boxing
Middleweight semi-finals
Darren Sutherland (Ire) lost to James Degale (Gbr) 10-3
Light-Flyweight semi-finals
Paddy Barnes (Ire) lost to Schiming Zou (Chn) 15-0
Light-Heavyweight semi-finals
Kenny Egan (Ire) defeated Tony Jeffries (Gbr) 10-3
Irish in Action - Saturday and Sunday
Saturday 23rd:
Cycling
08.00 Mountain Bike - Men's Cross Country
Robin Seymour (Ire)
Athletics
13.10 Men's 5000m Final
Alistair Cragg (Ire)
Sunday 24th:
Athletics
00.30 Men's Marathon
Martin Fagan (Ire)
08.51 Light-heavyweight final
Kenny Egan (Ire) v Xiaoping Zhang (Chn)