Tullamore's Grainne aiming to win national title on Friday

Tullamore's Gráinne Walsh will be in action this Friday night as she bids to regain her National Elite boxing title in the 69kg division. 

Grainne, who received a walkover in the semi final, will face old rival Christina Desmond in what's likely to be a closely-contested decider in Dublin's National Stadium. 

The upcoming qualification tournaments for the Olympics in Tokyo have led to the national finals being staged twice in this calendar year. 

Walsh boxed Desmond in the previous final in February and was narrowly defeated on points. 

Boxing out of the Spartacus club, Grainne comes into tomorrow's contest in good form, having won three bouts to earn a gold medal at the Eindhoven BoxCup in the Netherlands last month.

Her bout with Desmond is due to take place shortly after 10pm tomorrow and will be televised live on TG4 (coverage starts at 7.30pm). 

Here's the full schedule of bouts: 
IABA National Men’s and Women’s Elite Championship Finals from the National Stadium in Dublin
     
6:00pm - Ring Parade & Anthem   

6:25pm - Male 49kg Final: Ricky Nesbitt (Holy Family Drogheda)  v  Sean Mari (Monkstown D)

6:40pm - Female 64kg Final: Evelyn Igharo (Clann Naofa)  v  Ciara Ginty (Geesala)

6:55pm - Female 81kg Final: Nell Fox (Rathkeale) v Leona Houlihan (Crumlin)

7:10pm - Male 60kg Final: Barry McReynolds (Holy Trinity)  v  Brandon McCarthy (St Michaels Athy)
 
7:35pm - Female 48kg Final: Shannon Sweeney (St Annes)  v  Daina Moorehouse (Enniskerry)

7:54pm - Male 75kg Final: Jason Harty (Rathkeale)  v  John Joe Nevin (Crumlin)

8:13pm - Male 81kg Final: Thomas O’Toole (Celtic Eagles)  v  Emmett Brennan (Docklands)

8:32pm - Female 57kg Final: Michaela Walsh (Monkstown A)  v  Emma Agnew (Dealgan)

8:51pm - Female 51kg Final: Niamh Early (Ryston)  v  Ceire Smith (Cavan)

9:10pm - Male 52kg Final: Jude Gallagher (Two Castles)  v  Regan Buckley (St Teresa’s)

9:29pm - Male 57kg Final: Patryk Adamus (Drimnagh)  v  Dean Clancy (Sean McDermott)

9:48pm - Male 69kg Final: Aidan Walsh (Monkstown Antrim)  v  Callum Walsh (Riverstown)

10:07pm - Female 69kg Final: Christina Desmond (Fr Horgans)  v  Grainne Walsh (Spartacus)

10:26pm - Male 63kg Final: Wayne Kelly (Portlaoise)  v  George Bates (St Mary’s Dublin)

10:45pm - Male 91+kg Final: Antoine Ó Griofa (Celtic Eagles/Defence Forces)  v  Kenneth Okungbowa (Athlone)

11:05pm - Female 54kg Final: Zara Breslin (Tramore)  v  Sarah Haghighat (St Brigids, Edenderry)

11:20pm - Male 91kg Final: Kiril Afanasev (Smithfield)  v  Daniel O’Brien (Santry/Defence Forces)