A SPARTA amateur boxing select lost by 5-4 to an Irish select drawn from clubs in County Tyrone and Derry yesterday at the Hibs Supporters' club off Easter Road, writes BRIAN DONALD.

However, several young Sparta boxers shone in the early stages of the show, building up an early lead which was lost courtesy of defeats in the last two bouts.

For example, Sparta featherweight, Chris McHale, showed just why he has been chosen for Scotland in Wales later this month by first dominating Michael Mulddon, of the Bishop Kelly club in Tyrone, with stinging left hooks before stopping the Irish boxer in the third round with crashing right hands.

Not to be outdone, Sparta's classy Scottish youth featherweight champion, Stuart Blackie, was in superb form as his jabs, hooks and uppercuts had his Irish opponent, James McNellis, holding on desperately in the last round as the Capital man swept to a convincing points win.

Equally impressive was Sparta lightweight, Lewis Benson, who inflicted a standing eight count in round two with two crashing right hands on Bishop Kelly club opponent, Wayne McBride, to win on points.

However, with both teams tied at 4-4 on bouts it was all down to Sparta's bill topping featherweight, Dave Cowan.

It looked like he had just nicked what had been a fast, furious and entertaining scrap but the judges decided that his Irish rival, John Cooley from the Derry was a narrow points winner.