OUR boxing team got more byes than at the end of a phone call following Thursday night’s draw.
Kellie Harrington, Daina Moorehouse, Jenny Lehane, Michaela Walsh and Jude Gallagher will all have one fewer fight to negotiate as they seek glory.
Of Ireland’s previous 35 sporting medals at the Olympic Games, 18 have come in the ring.
And with a record number of 10 fighters competing in Paris, hopes are high that that tally can be increased.
Reigning champion Harrington, Aidan Walsh – who took bronze in Tokyo – and his sister Michaela are all back for their second Games with the seven others all making their debut.
And Ireland’s female fighters were particularly fortunate when it came to the draw as one hurdle to a potential medal was removed.
Dean Clancy will be the first Irish fighter in the ring on Saturday when the light welterweight takes on Obada Alkasbeh of Jordan in the round of 32,
Three more members of Team Ireland will be in action on Sunday but staggered cross nine hours.
Walsh – who could not compete in his semi-final three years ago when he injured his ankle when celebrating his quarter-final victory – will take on France’s Maka Traroe in the 71kg category.
In the evening session, welterweight Gráinne Walsh will take on Anna Luca Hamori of Hungary.
They are both in the round of 32 but there are only 16 fighters in the heavyweight class with seventh seed Jack Marley out against Kenny Machado or Brazil.
On Monday, Harrington will begin the defence of her 60kg title against either Allessia Mesiano of Italy or Turkey’s Gizem Ozer.
On Tuesday, bantamweight Lehane will take on China’s Yuan Chang.
Wednesday sees Jude Gallagher and Aoife O’Rourke in action.
The Belfast man is up against Carlo Paalam of the Philippines in the 67kg division with middleweight O’Rouke pitted against Elzbieta Wojcik.
The second seed has beaten the Pole in all four previous meetinghs.
On Thursday, flyweight Moorehouse will become the second boxer to try to silence a home crowd when she fights Wassila Lkhadiri.
And featherweight Michaela Walsh is the last of the team in action on Friday August 2nd when she will try to overcome Bulgaria’s Svetlana Kamenova Staneva