Ireland's depleted side earned a notable credit before succumbing to Poland 5-3 in the international match at the National Stadium last night.

Neil Gough hammered out a 17-5 win over Artur Zwarycz. Welterweight Gough's victory served to highlight his omission from the six-man team chosen for next month's European Championships in Finland and he still hopes that the IABA will reverse its decision. An IABA spokesman said that the team places were decided either through qualification or by democratic vote by Central Council. The matter is to be raised at the next Council meeting. Gough believes that as national champion he should be selected.

Damian McKenna, the Drogheda bantam and reigning champion, also scored a significant 10-3 win over the Polish senior champion Krzysztof Wroblewski.

Featherweight John Paul Campbell was making his debut and found the going tough in the final round after entering it on level terms (5-5) with Krzysztof Szot and lost 7-11. Campbell was never afraid to throw combinations when the Pole was at his most aggressive. The southpaw Irishman led 3-2 after the first and they were level after both the second and third rounds.

Lightweight Terry Carlyle gained a good victory (9-8) over Rafal Chratek. Carlyle was confronted by a boxer who did not know how to go backwards but the Irishman was excellent on the counter and worked well in behind a straight left lead.

Irish light-welter Michael Kelly, a world military gold medallist, found himself in at the deep end on his debut appearance at this level. He was beaten 10-2 by a confident and composed Mariusc Cendrowski.

Light middle Patrick Walsh of Cork was outclassed by Maroslaw Nowosada and took a count of eight in the fourth round before being stopped while his brother Kevin, the middleweight, went down 10-4 in the following bout to Pawel Kakietek.