Sean McGlinchey rocked into the next round of the light heavyweight section of the Commonwealth Games boxing with a nerve-wrecking win over Cheaven Clarke.

The Derry fighter started well against his Jamaican opponent, catching the man in the red corner with a good left hand in the first round, but McGlinchey lost the round on a split decision with two of the judges awarding it to Cheaven Clarke who had McGlinchey on the ropes by the end of the first bout.

The rangy Clarke then caught McGlinchey early in the second with a long right-hander which seemed to rock the Team NI fighter but the blue corner boxer seemed to compose himself and got closer to the Jamaican, exchanging punches with Clarke in a frantic round that had the crowd going wild and another split decision from the judges awarded McGlinchey the second round and set up a tense final three minutes.

Both fighters seemed to develop a respect for each other heading into the last exchanges as they approached with caution in an incredibly even contest.  And, when Clarke thought he had caught McGlinchey in the final 90 seconds, McGlinchey came flying back with a hook of his own followed by a left-hander.

And, by the end of it, the judges awarded McGlinchey the victory on a split decision but not before a moment of class from the Derry man as he paraded his opponent Clarke around the ring to the applause from the crowd.

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