FRUSTRATION was the overwhelming feeling for Sean McGoldrick and his team after the Newport star won his second professional bout in Belfast on Saturday night.

Commonwealth Games champion McGoldrick outpointed Ricky Starkey over six rounds at the Odyssey Arena but struggled to deal with the Liverpudlian’s spoiling tactics.

After the clash, promoter Eddie Hearn admitted it was a “disappointing performance” from the Welshman, before revealing McGoldrick would be fighting in his home country this September.

The 25-year-old made a successful start to life in the paid ranks in March when he comfortably beat Brett Fidoe on points in Manchester.

However, Starkey presented a different challenge, with his persistent holding frustrating the former amateur ace.

A 59-53 verdict went the way of the St Joseph’s boxer at the end of the super-bantamweight encounter, however, he knows there is work to do ahead of his next outing.

“There was a lot of holding,” he said. “I just wanted to fight.

“I think I was expecting him to fight a bit more, my mindset was to stand and fight with him, rather than trying to outbox him.

“I could maybe have used my feet a bit more and caught him on the way in, but he was rushing me and I thought I’d let him come in – I just didn’t expect him to keep doing it.

“I’ve got to work on my footwork and maybe keeping him at the end of my jab so I can control the fight a bit better.

“I was quite good at controlling things in the amateurs but I didn’t really show it there.”

Trainer Tony Borg added: “It was frustrating. At times, Sean was getting his hands together, getting his shots together, and the guy was closing him down, doing his job properly.

“It’s a transition from the amateurs to the pros and he’ll make it, it’s only his second fight, and we’ll build on that.”

Giving his take on the fight, promoter Hearn said: “It wasn’t his sharpest, he knows that.

“With his pedigree and his quality he should be dealing with people like that with ease.

“But this is a quality fighter, six rounds in the bank, all part of the learning process and much, much better things to come.

“We’re going to be in Wales in September for a show and he’ll be back there.”

Meanwhile, McGoldrick’s St Joes stablemate Dale Evans has been given a date for his crack at the British welterweight title.

He will face champion Bradley Skeete at the Copper Box Arena in London on Saturday, July 8, live on BT Sport and BoxNation.