BY IABA Press Officer Bernard O’Neill

Antrim light-flyweight Jason McKay will meet Bulgaria’s Iliyan Kolev in the opening semi-final of the 16th European Junior Championships in Bulgaria today.

McKay, who boxes out of the Canal BC, and Kolev, will be between the ropes at approximately 1pm (Irish time) tomorrow.

Kerry middleweight Brian Wall, of the Cashen Vale BC, will be in semi-final action versus Richard Kovacs of Hungary in the evening session which gloves off at 4.30pm (Irish time).

Both Irish boxers are guaranteed to be taking home at least a bronze medal each from Bulgaria.

Today is a rest day at the 35-nation tournament.

The semi-finals and finals will be decided on Friday and Saturday.

Please see below attachments.

C58E21

C58E23

2012 European Junior Championships Sofia, Bulgaria

June 23rd (Last 32)

52kg: James Cleary (Ireland) beat Kaspars Burkevics (Latvia) 19-6

54kg: John Joyce (Ireland) beat Richard Kovacs (Hungary) 15-7

60kg: Wayne Kelly (Ireland) beat Saleem Bibar (Israel) 15-8

63kg: Daryl Byrne (Ireland) lost to Bernard Barsony (Hungary) 10-12

70kg: Luke Thomas (Ireland) lost to Bakhtier Kholov (Russia) 9-14

June 24th (Last 16 & Last 32)

54kg; John Joyce (Ireland) lost to Viktor Petrov (Ukraine) 10-14

57kg: Darren Pollock (Ireland) beat Jegors Artjomovs (Latvia) 9-8 (last 32)

66kg: Lewis Crocker (Ireland) beat Huseyn Tarverdili (Azerbaijan) 15-6 (last 32)

80kg: Michael Gallagher (Ireland) lost to Uladzimir Tsitou (Belarus) 9-13

80+kg: Aaron Kelly (Ireland) lost to Marat Kerimkhanov (Russia) 6-13

June 25th (Last 16)

46kg: Martin Stokes (Ireland) lost to Dan Lapin (Ukraine) 5-11

48kg: Jason McKay (Ireland) beat Zsolt Karvaly (Hungary) RSC2

50kg: Kalum McConville (Ireland) beat Paul Wall (Germany) 15-14

52kg: James Cleary (Ireland) lost to Sorin Claudiu (Romania) 8-17

57kg: Darren Pollock (Ireland) beat Mihail Cvasiuc (Moldova) 10-10 c/b +

(no countback scores available)

June 26th (Last 16)

60kg: Wayne Kelly (Ireland) beat Johanathan Zumbe (Germany) 15-8

66kg: Lewis Crocker (Ireland) beat Ogulcan Albayrak (Turkey) 14-8

75kg; Brian Wall (Ireland) beat Leonard Nicolae (Romania) 7-5

June 27th (Quarter-finals)

48kg: Jason McKay (Ireland) beat Arturas Bankauskas (Lithuania) 18-6

50kg: Kalum McConville (Ireland) lost to Omer Koc (Turkey) 6-12

57Kg: Darren Pollock (Ireland) lost to Wladislaw Brayshnik (Germany) 13-16

60kg: Wayne Kelly (Ireland) lost to Alexander Morokhin (Russia) 11-15

66kg: Lewis Crocker (Ireland) lost to Oleksii Takarchuk (Ukraine) 8-12

75kg: Brian Wall (Ireland) beat Mustafa Atmaca (Turkey) RSCI3

June 29th (Semi-finals)

48kg: Jason McKay (Ireland) v Iliyan Kolev (Bulgaria)

75kg: Brian Wall (Ireland) v Zsolt Kovacs (Hungary)

Irish squad

46kg; Martin Stokes (Mullhuddard)

48kg; Jason McKay (Canal)

50kg: Kalum McConville (Dealgan)

52kg: James Cleary (Olympic)

54kg: John Joyce (St Michael’s Athy)

57kg: Darren Pollock (St Agnes)

60kg: Wayne Kelly (Ballynacargy)

63kg: Daryl Byrne (Grangecon)

66kg: Lewis Crocker (Cairn Lodge)

70kg: Luke Thomas (Watergrasshill)

75kg: Brian Wall (Cashen Vale)

80kg: Michael Gallagher (Finn Valley)

80kg+: Aaron Kelly (Mount Tallant)

Team manager: Michael Darby

Coaches: Billy McClean. Jim O’Neill (Clann Noafa Noafa). Ger McDaid (Mulhuddard)

Physio: Eoin Naughton

R&J: Jim Murrin

Director of Boxing: Dominic O’Rourke