Gráinne Walsh suffers controversial loss in Olympic qualifier

Gráinne Walsh has missed out on Olympic qualification after suffering a controversial loss in her quarter-final bout with Poland's Aneta Rygielska at the qualification tournament in Busto Arsizio, Italy.

One win away from booking her spot in Paris, Walsh lost on an agonising 3-2 split decision from the judges, with some observers left bemused at the scoring.

In the second round, Rygielska received a standing eight count from the referee, yet three of the five judges awarded the round to the Pole.

Rygielska was also docked a point for holding but while the Norwegian and Sri Lankan judges deemed Walsh the clear winner, awarding her a 29-27 victory, the Italian, Moroccan and Argentinian judges scored the fight 28-apiece, meaning that under professional rules, the fight would have deemed a draw.

However, being forced to pick a winner, the three judges plumped for Rygielska, sending the Pole to Paris.

Two more Irish boxers have a shot at securing qualification this evening, with Tyrone featherweight Jude Gallagher facing Turkmenistan's Sukur Owezow in his quarter-final bout at 7.15 Irish time.

While Waterford light heavyweight Kelyn Cassidy fights Nurbek Oralbay of Kazakhstan for an Olympic spot at 8.15pm Irish time.