BOXERS Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlan both sealed gold for Northern Ireland on the closing weekend of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The Belfast pair added to the Northern Ireland boxing team’s medal haul on Saturday at the city’s Hydro venue, the final total standing at two gold, two silver and five bronze.
Barnes, 27, claimed victory over India's Devendro Laishram on a unanimous 3-0 decision, successfully defending the light-flyweight title he won in 2010 in Delhi.
The Northern Ireland boxing team captain was awarded the first two rounds by all three judges but lost the third round.
Barnes was tested by the world number three at light-flightweight, but the Olympic bronze medallist triumphed after delivering a measured performance.
"It was a very tough fight - he's a tough competitor and very strong. I had my gameplan though - the key thing was to win the first round and I did that," said Barnes.
Conlan, 22, beat England's Qais Ashfaq at bantamweight, also on a unanimous judges' verdict.
Ashfaq won the first round on two of the three judges' scorecards, but the number two rated bantamweight in the world, Conlan, was the clear winner in the second and third rounds.
"That was a tough contest - Ashfaq is very talented and definitely one for the future," admitted Conlan.
"That was my toughest fight of the competition and I owe my team everything for patching up the cut I sustained in the semi-final.
"I didn't even know it had opened up again in the first round."
Joe Fitzpatrick and Michaela Walsh were defeated in their respective finals.
Fitzpatrick lost out to Scotland's Charlie Flynn at lightweight, whilst Walsh suffered a narrow defeat to Nicola Adams in the women's flyweight final.
