By Kevin Byrne, Seconds Out columnist in the Irish Sun every Saturday – Twitter @kevoobyrne

 

THE EUROS are nearly over and event junkies in need of a fix won’t have long to wait for another.

 

Four years ago in from Beijing, Ireland’s five-man team took home three medals.

 

Kenny Egan with silver was joined by bronze medallists Darren Sutherland and Paddy Barnes on the podium.

 

The John Joes Nevin and Joyce were only teenagers at the time and they lost to the eventual champions.

 

This year we send six boxers to London – with Katie Taylor ready to make her bow as women’s boxing goes into the Olympics for the first time.

 

Can we match three medals – or go one better?

 

So much will depend on the draw but Taylor’s bye to the quarter-finals means she is just one win from a guaranteed bronze.

 

Here’s the route our boxers will have to go down in London.

 

SATURDAY, JULY 28

NEVIN and skipper Darren O’Neill could be the first Irish fighters out of the blocks.

 

The first day of boxing will see the bantamweight (56kg) and middleweight (75kg) preliminary rounds start.

 

SUNDAY, JULY 29

GET ready for the punching policeman as Guard Adam Nolan makes his bow.

 

His welterweight division kicks off that day, along with lightweight where Ireland’s David Oliver Joyce just missed out on qualification.

 

MONDAY, JULY 30

IRELAND should have two teenagers in action – instead there will be one.

 

20-year-old Flyweight Michael Conlan’s first fight should be up, but light-heavyweight Joe Ward, 18, did not qualify.

 

TUESDAY, JULY 31

PRELIMINARIES in light-welterweight and light-flyweight.

 

Beijing bronze medallist Barnes will be itching for action. But European 64kg champ Ray Moylette did not make it to London.

 

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1

THERE will be last-16 clashes at men’s bantamweight, heavyweight and super-heavyweight.

 

Nevin will be hoping to have made the grade – or he could have received a bye, so this will be his opening bout.

 

THURSDAY, AUGUST 2

LAST-16 time at lightweight and middleweight – with O’Neill expected to be still in with a chance.

 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 3

CONLAN and Nolan will be gunning for action in the last 16 of the flyweight and welterweight divisions.

Both have the ability to get there.

 

SATURDAY, AUGUST 4

LIGHT-FLY Barnes is sure to get to the last 16 on this day, with the light-welters and light-heavies also in action.

 

SUNDAY, AUGUST 5

WOMEN’S boxing hits the Olympic Games for the first time. There will be preliminaries in all three weights.

In the men’s, there will be quarter-finals at bantam and heavyweight – a win for Nevin would guarantee at least bronze.

 

MONDAY, AUGUST 6

IT’S TAYLOR time as Katie – who got a bye into the women’s lightweight quarter-final – makes her Olympic debut.

 

There will be men’s last-eight bouts at lightweight, middleweight – O’Neill’s division – and super-heavyweight, where Con Sheehan missed out in qualifying.

 

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7

If Conlan and Nolan are still standing they will get their chance to guarantee at least bronze medals.

 

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8

IT’S the final countdown as women’s semis take place in all three weights.

 

Last-four dates in men’s light-flyweight, light-welterweight and light-heavyweight.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 9

THIS could be the day Ireland secures a first Olympic gold since Michael Carruth in 1992 – it’s women’s final day.

 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 10

ALL 10 men’s semis take place and Ireland’s five-man team will be gutted if they are not in action up to this point.

 

SATURDAY, AUGUST 11

THE finals are split over two days and this one could see Barnes, Nevin and O’Neill going for gold.

 

Light-welters and heavyweights face deciders too.

 

SUNDAY, AUGUST 12

THE last day of boxing could see Conlan and Nolan in the final shake-up.

 

Lightweights, light-heavies and super-heavies see it out.