Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games

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Team NI boxer Caitlin Fryers is one win from securing a medal after beating Zinnat Ferdous in their flyweight round of 16 bout on Monday morning, but Eoghan Quinn's Commonwealth campaign was ended.

The Immaculata fighter, who is co-captain of the Team NI boxing squad, dominated the fight from the first bell against her Bangladeshi opponent at the SEC Centre.

Ferdous' efforts were further undermined when she was docked a point in the second round for persistent holding.

Fryers, who won a European silver medal in 2022, will face the winner of Monday evening's clash between India's Sakshi Chaudhary and Botswana's Lethabo Modukanele in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Quinn became the third Team NI boxer after Louis Rooney and JP Hale to exit following a 4-1 defeat by Seychelles' Jade Micock in the light-heavyweight division.

Nigel Ringland
BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist in Glasgow

Image source, Simone Castrovillari - Team NI

Gary Kelly is in the semi-finals of the men’s singles without having to throw a bowl on Monday morning.

Unbeaten in five group games, the two-time Commonwealth Games medallist had his destiny in his own hands anyway and would have made the final four by taking a set off South African Wayne Rittmuller in his final game this afternoon.

However his closest rival, Shannon McIlroy from New Zealand, could only beat his opponent from Niue Island 1.5 sets to 0.5 when he had to win 2-0 meaning he can no longer catch Kelly.

In the semi-finals, Kelly will face Sam Tolchard from England in a repeat of the bronze medal play-off from 2010 in Delhi, a game Kelly won to secure the first of two Commonwealth medals.

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European champion Danielle Hill and Olympic gold medallist Jack McMillan have qualified for swimming semi-finals on Monday night.

At the Tollcross Swimming Centre on Monday morning, Larne swimmer Hill, who is competing in her fourth Commonwealth Games, won her women's 50m backstroke heat in a time of 28.04 seconds.

Only Kylie Masse posted a quicker time to qualify for the semi-finals with the Canadian winning her own heat in 27.79.

There is no place in the semi-finals for Hill's team-mate Lottie Cullen who missed out by just 0.11 seconds on a top-16 placing.

McMillan came fifth in his men's 100m freestyle heat with a time of 49.51 but team-mate Matthew Hamilton did not progress after finishing in 50.46.

Patrick Johnston just missed out on the men's 200m backstroke final with his time of 1:59.93 the ninth fastest in the heats.

Lauren McCann
BBC Sport NI Journalist at SEC Armadillo

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Team Northern Ireland weightlifter Harrison McGrogan finished fifth in men's 71kg at the SEC Armadillo.

The 18-year-old, who was making his Commonwealth Games debut, scored 128kg in the snatch.

He failed to lift 133kg in his second and third attempts as the bar slipped from his grasp on both occasions.

He successfully lifted 160kg in his first attempt at the clean and jerk before failing at 167kg and 172kg as again he struggled with his grip on the bar in those two attempts.

That gave him a final score of 288kg, 10kg behind England's Jonathan Chin in fourth.

McGrogan explained after the competition that a cut on his hand sustained in the warm-up was aggravated when he was doing his first snatch and it had an impact on the rest of his lift attempts.

"I feel like I was better than fifth, I feel like I should have been in the medals but it is tough when you can't hold onto the bar," he told BBC Sport NI.

"I got a massive blood blister when I was warming up and then when I did my first snatch the whole thing ripped off so it was hard to lift the bar after that."

Nigeria's Joseph Edidiong Umoafia claimed gold as he set new Commonwealth Games records in both the snatch and clean and jerk.

He lifted 147kg in the snatch and 172kg in the clean and jerk for a final score of 319kg, which was also a new record and 4kg ahead of Samoa's John Lautafi Tafi in second.

Nauru's Ezekiel Moses took the bronze medal.

Lauren McCann
BBC Sport NI Journalist in Glasgow

Image source, Getty Images

There's lots of Team Northern Ireland athletes in action on the fourth day of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with Rhys McClenaghan and Daniel Wiffen both going for gold.

Harrison McGrogan will make his Commonwealth Games debut in the men's 71kg weightlifting final at the SEC Armadillo from 09:00 BST.

At the Tollcross Swimming Centre, Paddy Johnson will be in the men's 200m butterfly heats at 10:30.

Danielle Hill and Lottie Cullen will take part in the women's 50m backstroke heats at 10:57 and Jack McMillan and Matthew Hamilton will go in the men's 100m freestyle heats at 11:09.

Should they all progress through their heats, the semi-finals or finals of all those events will take place in the evening from 19:00.

Wiffen will go in the 800m final at 20:37 in the evening session as he seeks a first Commonwealth gold.

There is more boxing action at the SEC Centre with four Team NI boxers in action.

Caitlin Fryers will fight in the women's flyweight 51kg round of 16 against Zinnat Ferdous from Bangladesh at 11:15.

At 13:45, Eoghan Quinn will take on Jade Micock from Seychelles in the men's light-heavyweight 80kg round of 16.

Jude Gallagher will fight in the men's lightweight 60kg round of 16 at 19:00 as he takes on Pakistan's Qudrat Ullah.

Jon McConnell will face India's Sumit Sumit in the men's light-middleweight 70kg round of 16 at 20:30.

Para-athlete Eve Walsh Dann is out at the Scotstoun Stadium at 13:16 in the women's T38 first round 100m. If she makes it through, the final will take place at 19:50.

At the Glasgow International Arena, McClenaghan will compete in the men's pommel horse final at 15:00.

Team Northern Ireland's netball squad will play their third game at the Hydro at 16:00 against Tonga as they seek their first win.

Gary Kelly is in men's single sectional play action against South Africa's Wayne Rittmuller at 16:10 at the SEC Centre.

He will progress to the evening's semi-finals at 20:40 if he wins one set against Rittmuller.

He can afford to lose 0-2 as long as New Zealander Shannon McIlroy doesn't win his final two games in straight sets and overturn a shot difference that stands at +45 to +16 in Kelly's favour.

Lauren McCann
BBC Sport NI Journalist at SEC Centre

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Team Northern Ireland's JP Hale was critical of referee Mouhsine Souilmi, who he said "spoiled" his welterweight round of 16 bout against Patris Mughalzai.

Hale suffered a unanimous decision loss against the Englishman at the SEC Centre as he joined his cousin Louis Rooney in exiting the Glasgow Games early.

The Star BC man had two points deducted in the fight with his opponent also being docked a point, but he felt Mughalzai's timewasting went unpunished and disrupted his ability to land meaningful shots in the last two three-minute rounds.

"It's heart-breaking because I've worked very hard the last few months and the Commonwealth Games was a big goal for me. I thought I did very well, I just feel the referee spoiled the fight for me," a visibly emotional Hale told BBC Sport NI.

"He was giving him [ Mughalzai] time, not giving him warnings. He was the one trying to run away, I was the one trying to fight. I'm coming forward and he's hugging and playing dirty, holding onto the ropes, wasting time and the referee doesn't see it.

"I know I could have had more engine in there, my game plan was to attack, he was tiring out and he just kept hugging, talking in the inside and making me more angry. He did his job well, I'm not getting after him, the referee let him do his job and not mine."

The 25-year-old also suffered a first-round exit at the hands of Uganda's Joshua Tukamuhebwa four years ago at the Games in Birmingham and is unsure what the future holds after the devastating nature of the defeat.

"I don't know what's next because this was my last go.

"I took a break away from boxing last year and it took a lot for me to come back and to get stuff like that thrown in your face is disgusting."

Nigel Ringland
BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist in Glasgow

Image source, Alessio Bergadano - Team NI

Adam Bradley set a new Irish Junior record in the heats of the men’s 50m breaststroke, but couldn’t quite go as fast in the semi-finals.

The Bangor swimmer, who owns the national junior record in the 100m breaststroke, set in April, swam 27.57 in the morning to take Eoin Corby‘s record of 27.76.

In the evening's semi-finals, the 24-year-old once again broke the old record, swimming 27.64 to finish fifth as he just missed out on the final by finishing in ninth place.

There was disappointment as well for Grace Davison, who also finished ninth in the women’s 100m freestyle semi-finals in a time of 55.12.

Lottie Cullen was delighted to make the final of the women’s 100m backstroke where she finished eighth in 1:01.61 behind winner Iona Anderson from Australia.

Finally, Alana Burns-Atkin was 11th in the semi-finals of the women’s 100m butterfly in a time of 1:00.66.

Nigel Ringland
BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist in Glasgow

Image source, Simone Castrovilliari - Team NI

Chloe Wilson and Shauna O’Neill have their destiny in their own hands after winning both their games on Sunday to stay unbeaten with five consecutive wins in the women’s pairs.

After beating previously undefeated Guernsey duo Rose Ogier and Ali Merrien In straight sets 4-1, 8-1 in the morning, they returned in the evening to continue their winning streak with another straight sets win over Zambia’s Getrude Siame and Foster Banda 6-4, 12-0.

They face Australia in their final Group game on Monday (14:45 BST) and need to win one set to make the semi-finals.

Even if they lose in straight sets, they would still advance to the semi-finals if Australia can’t overturn a shot difference than currently stands at +68 to +49 in the favour of Wilson and O’Neill.

In the morning game against Guernsey it was a tight first set with single shots taken on each of the five ends. Wilson and O’Neill won four of those ends to take the set 4-1.

“I think it was probably a wee bit scrappy from us at times, but we just didn't stop believing in each other. When Chloe was in, she covered me, and vice versa,” O’Neill said afterwards.

”So it was really nice to have that challenge. We hadn't really been that close in a set as yet, so it was nice to know that we can do that when we find ourselves in those tight positions.”

The match was decided in the opening two ends of the second set. Two brilliant bowls from O’Neill saw Northern Ireland take three shots and then followed that up with one more to take a quick 4-0 lead.

“Look, I was fortunate with my first bowl in the first end, where we got the three. I was lucky.

“But I played a good bowl in the second end and that kind of gave us the wee push forward. And then you kind of defend them from there out,” explained O’Neill.

From there they were able to defend the scoreboard but they did more than that, again with O’Neill shutting the door on any possible comeback from the Channel Islanders.

In the game against Zambia, the Northern Ireland pair found themselves 0-3 down after two ends and under real pressure for the first time.

They responded with a single shot and then five more to surge into the lead and take the first set.

The second was more of a formality as they boosted their shot differential, which may in turn be crucial.

Lauren McCann
BBC Sport NI Journalist at SEC Centre

Image source, Getty Images

Team Northern Ireland's Nicole Clyde booked her place in the women's bantamweight 54kg quarter-finals with a unanimous decision victory over Ghana's Nancy Bamfo at the SEC Centre.

Clyde, who moved up to 54kg for her second appearance at the Games in Glasgow, unanimously won the first and third rounds and edged the second 3-2 on the judges' scorecards.

"Really happy, I stuck to the game plan and tried to perform as best as I could," she told BBC Sport NI.

"She's a tough durable opponent she doesn't stop coming at you, but that's the sort of fight you want as it makes you step up your game.

"The plan this time is to get to the medal stages, but I'm just taking it one fight at a time."

She will now now face India's Preeti Preeti in the quarter-finals on Tuesday at 18:00 BST.

The Antrim BC boxer is now one win away from a medal and will aim to improve on her performance from four years ago when she exited at the same stage against India's Nitu Ghanghas.

JP Hale exited the men's welterweight 65kg at the round of 16 stage after a unanimous decision loss against England's Patris Mughalzai in a ferocious contest.

Mughalzai was quick out of the blocks in a storming first round he comfortably won before doing enough in the slower second and third rounds to progress.

Hale is the second Team NI boxer to exit in the men's section after his cousin Louis Rooney bowed out at the round of 32 stage on Friday.

Nigel Ringland
BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist in Glasgow

Image source, Getty Images

Gary Kelly came from behind to beat Mitchell Graham from Norfolk Island in a one-end shootout to maintain his unbeaten run in the men’s singles.

The Ballymoney man lost the first set 5-10 before bouncing back to take the second set 9-3.

He then produced a stunning shot in the extra end to secure the win.

“You know, what a challenge. He was a fantastic competitor. He played extremely well there, and you could say he was sort of dominating the length that I was dominating, so I had to change up my tactics and my strategy within the game there,” Kelly told BBC Sport NI.

“He definitely made me feel uncomfortable at times, and I'm just very grateful and thankful to get the win.”

It’s the second game Kelly has been taken to a shootout and he’s prevailed both times.

“I mean, on one hand you'd love it to be more comfortable, but at the same time it is good to have that challenge and just know that you've got it within yourself to perform under pressure when it really matters.

“So obviously I've just got to try and take confidence from that, you know, moving forward to the next game.”

Only New Zealander Shannon McIlroy stands between Kelly and the semi-finals and he defeated South African Wayne Rittmuller In the extra end.

Kelly needs to win one set against Rittmuller to secure his place in the final four but can afford to lose 0-2 as long as McIlroy doesn’t win his final two games in straight sets and overturn a shot difference that stands at +45 to +16 in Kelly’s favour.

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Team NI swimmer Grace Davison qualified for the women's 100m freestyle semi-finals after finishing fourth in her heat.

Davison progressed as the sixth fastest time in 55.21 seconds and was 0.84 behind Australia's Mollie O'Callaghan, who won the heat.

Emily Hughes missed out on a semi-final spot after finishing seventh in her heat which was won by Meg Harris from Australia in 53.00.

The women's 100m freestyle semi-finals will take place on Sunday from 19:47 BST.

Elsewhere, Adam Bradley qualified for the men's 50m breaststroke semi-finals after finishing third in his heat in 27.57.

The semi-finals for the men's 50m breaststroke will take place at 19:57 BST on Sunday.

Alana Burns-Atkin also qualified for the women's 100m butterfly semi-finals at Tollcross Swimming Centre (20:34 BST).

The 20-year-old claimed her spot after a fourth-place finish in her heat.

In the men's 100m backstroke S9, Barry McClements secured a place in the final with 1:07.30.

Ards native McClements will compete in the final at 19:13 BST on Sunday.

Lauren McCann
BBC Sport NI Journalist in Glasgow

Image source, Getty Images

It's day three of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, here's what is in store for various Team Northern Ireland athletes.

It's another busy morning of heats at the Tollcross Swimming Centre from 10:30.

Grace Davison and Emily Hughes will be in the women's 100m freestyle at 10:30 with Alana Burns-Aiken in the 100m butterfly at 11:48.

Adam Bradley will be in action in the 50m breaststroke at 10:59 and Barry McClements will try to win another medal in the S9 100m backstroke at 11:59.

Should those swimmers progress through their heats, the semi-finals or finals of all those events will take place that evening from 19:00.

At the SEC Centre, two of Team NI's boxing contingent will be in action.

At 18:00, Nicole Clyde will face Ghana's Nancy Bamfo in the women’s bantamweight 54kg round of 16.

JP Hale will fight in the men's welterweight 65kg round of 16 at 20:30 against England's Patris Mughalzai.

Shauna O'Neill and Chloe Wilson are out in the bowls in the women's pairs against Guernsey from 11:20 as they seek another win and they will then face Zambia at 19:00.

Gary Wilson will go in the men's singles against Mitchell Graham from the Norfolk Island at 14:45.

Team NI's netball squad will play their second pool game at the Hydro against Malawi at 14:00 as they aim for their first win.

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Team Northern Ireland swimmer Victoria Catterson has pulled out of the rest of the Commonwealth Games on medical advice.

Catterson had raced in the 200m freestyle semi-final on Saturday and the women's 4x100m freestyle relay final on Friday.

She was set to feature in the women's 100m freestyle heats but has now withdrawn from the competition.

"On advice from the doc, I've decided to medically withdraw from the rest of the races here in Glasgow," Catterson posted on Instagram.

"I never take representing my country lightly and it's devestating I'm in this position. I'd like to thank Team NI for seeing to me so quickly and putting my health first.

"Time to get home and get healthy for Europeans in August and be the biggest Team NI cheerleader."

Lauren McCann
BBC Sport NI Journalist at Tollcross Swimming Centre

Image source, Getty Images

Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen missed out on a medal in the men's 400m freestyle at the Commonwealth Games as he finished fifth in the final at the Tollcross Swimming Centre.

Wiffen, who won Olympic gold in the 800m freestyle and 1500m bronze in Paris two years ago, qualified for the final after finishing third in his heat in his least favourite distance of 400m.

After a steady start in which he looked on course for a bronze, the 25-year-old faded away in the last 50m and clocked a time of 3:47.22.

"We always knew Sam [Short, race winner] would be really good in this, he almost broke the world record in this a few weeks go, so in my eyes it was a race to come second and I've never experienced a pool that wavy," he told BBC Sport NI.

"I'm behind the two people that are fastest out and I'm the slowest out, I'm just getting hit in the face by the waves so for me it got to a point where I was just trying to find a way to get back in the race."

His team-mate, Olympic relay gold medallist Jack McMillan finished in seventh in a time of 3:49.18.

Wiffen will have another chance at winning a first Commonwealth Games gold after picking up silver in 2022 when he goes in the men's 800m fastest heats at 20:37 BST on Monday where he will come up against Australia's Short again.

"It's going to be a good race and I'm going to be ready for it," Wiffen added.

Lottie Cullen's time of 1:00.82 helped her advance to Sunday's final of the women's 100m backstroke as fourth fastest in her heat.

Team-mates Danielle Hill, who finished in 1:00.83 and Grace Davison, who recorded a time of 1:01.20 in their respective semi-finals both missed out on qualifying for the final.

Matthew Hamilton set a new Irish junior record but missed out on the men's 100m butterfly semi-finals as he finished fifth in his heat in a time of 52.62.

It beats the previous record of 53.39 set by Evan Bailey.

Ellie McCartney missed out on the 100m breaststroke final as she finished fourth in the semi-final in a time of 1:08.63.

Lauren McCann
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the Hydro

Image source, Getty Images

Goal shooter Lisa Bowman said she had "goosebumps" playing for Northern Ireland in their opening Commonwealth Games defeat by England as she made her return to the international stage after an eight-year break.

Bowman, who helped NI to their highest-ever netball finish of seventh at the 2014 Games in Glasgow, also featured in 2018 at the Gold Coast before taking an international hiatus.

She missed the 2022 Games but made her comeback at the Hydro against the Roses, scoring 24 times in NI's 83-34 loss.

"I was so nervous but it was so exciting and such a buzz. The bigger picture for me is I'm just honoured to be here," she told BBC Sport NI.

Bowman believes NI have positives to take despite the scoreline, with her side remaining competitive throughout the four quarters.

"The win wasn't something we were seeking today, the focus was on us and what we could put out there," she added.

"We have a couple of games in our pool that we are targeting, today was just about our processes, seeing how we could execute them and what we could put out there as a team and as well as that getting everyone on the court and giving everyone the chance in what is a fantastic venue for netball.

"We're a gritty team and we'll never give up, we'll never throw the heads up, we'll push to the last quarter no matter what the scoreline which is what we're proud of."

She also praised the atmosphere inside the Hydro, with pockets of Northern Ireland fans dotted around the stadium that had a large English support.

NI will return to the same venue on Sunday to face Malawi in their second Pool A game at 14:00 BST.

"It's just surreal, I have goosebumps I think everyone is just thriving off it [the atmosphere] and everyone can't wait to come day after day and keep going."

Nigel Ringland
BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist in Glasgow

Image source, Team NI

Nobody has a bigger smile in Glasgow this week than the youngest athlete in Team Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games.

Swimmer Emily Hughes, 16, is soaking in every second of her senior international debut.

She has already swam in a Commonwealth final as she helped the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team to sixth place and finished 17th in her first individual event, the 200m freestyle.

“I'm pretty happy with that in the morning, to be just outside of my personal best. I'm pretty happy with that and honestly, I'm just kind of happy to be racing here. Like I've said so many times, it's just such a great experience,” explained Hughes.

Emily’s mum, Amy, is from Larne although the family live in England and Emily attends Millfield College in Somerset.

The Commonwealth Games are a welcome distraction as she awaits her GCSE results next month.

“I think they went OK, but you don't know until I get them. That was definitely interesting, balancing swimming with GCSEs. I mean, I was quite lucky where I am at school at Millfield, because it's boarding. I was able to balance them quite well, which was really good.”

Emily is also upholding the proud sporting traditions in her family.

Her grandfather Treen "Curly” Morris, a former pupil of Larne Grammar School, began sailing at the age of 13.

As a top athlete he represented Ireland in no fewer than 23 World, European and other major international championships including the 1972 Olympics in Munich.

Emily’s mum Amy and aunt Melanie also represented Ireland and Northern Ireland in sailing.

Right now, Emily is living her dream, one that not so long ago she would have struggled to believe would happen.

“Oh my gosh. I think at the start of the season, like this time last year, if you told me I'd be here I honestly wouldn't believe you," she said.

Emily will compete in the 50m and 100m freestyle later in the Games.

Image source, Getty Images

Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen , externalcomfortably qualified for the men's 400m freestyle final on day two of the Commonwealth Games.

Wiffen, who won Olympic gold in the 800m freestyle in Paris two years ago, qualified in three minutes 47.01 seconds, third fastest overall behind Australia's Sam Short (3:46.23) and Benjamin Goedemans (3:46.47).

The 25-year-old, who is hunting his first Commonwealth gold, will be joined in Saturday night's final (19:07 BST) by Olympic relay gold medallist Jack McMillan, who advanced in 3:48.65.

"I was a bit nervous. I haven't had the greatest year so I didn't know what shape I'd be in," Wiffen told BBC Sport NI.

"To come out with that and make the final comfortably, I'm pretty happy."

Bethany Firth also commenced her campaign in smooth fashion as the six-time Paralympic champion won the women's 200m freestyle S14 in 2:09.96. Firth will be favourite for gold in the final at 20:25 BST.

Grace Davison, Danielle Hill and Lottie Cullen progressed to the women's 100m backstroke semi-finals (19:16 BST).

Davison, who earlier withdrew from the 200m freestyle, qualified with a time of 1:01.21 one minute 1.21 seconds after finishing second in her heat behind Canada's Kylie Masse.

Hill (1:01.28) and Cullen (1:01.47) advanced from the next heat.

Victoria Catterson and Emily Hughes both failed to make the 200m freestyle final. Catterson finished fourth in heat five in 2:02.73, with Hughes sixth in 2:03.35.

In the women's 100m breaststroke, Ellie McCartney qualified ninth fastest for the semi-finals (20:55 BST) in 1:08.35.

Matthew Hamilton progressed to the men's 100m butterfly semi-finals (20:15 BST). Hamilton, who earlier withdrew from the 50m butterfly, clocked 52.75 to qualify 10th fastest.

Nigel Ringland
BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist in Glasgow

Image source, Getty Images

Gary Kelly came from behind in dramatic style to beat 17 year-old Liam Hill from Tonga and make it three wins to start his campaign for a third Commonwealth Games medal.

Hill’s aggressive style saw him cruise to 9-6 win in the opening set against an out of sorts Kelly but the Ballymoney man found his form to open up a 5-0 lead in the second set.

However, Hill would mount a comeback closing to within a shot heading to the final end.

Holding shot, that would have given him the game, Hill made a tactical error with his final bowl as he committed a 30 second shot clock violation.

It opened the door for Kelly but he still had a difficult shot to walk through it but he produced a superb bowl to trail the jack into the ditch, to take the set 7-4 and set up a one-end decider.

Kelly opened up with a pair of excellent bowls that forced Hill into having to play some difficult shots, which he couldn’t quite manage.

Kelly will again be in action later on Saturday against Harriman Yuen from Singapore.