Ireland name squad for Chemistry Cup
The IABA have announced a 13-strong squad for a training camp in Germany alongside competing in the prestigious Chemistry Cup multi-nations.
Four women and nine men will represent Ireland in Cologne as we build toward the European Games in Minsk .
As expected, only Olympic weights feature and, as expected, established international medallists Kurt Walker, Brendan Irvine, and Joe Ward, come in for reigning Elite champions Paddy Adamus, Adam Hession, and Thomas O’Toole.
Interestingly, there are two fights at both light welter for the men and welter for the women, suggesting that Bernard Dunne is yet to pick a major tournament representative from James McGivern and Wayne Kelly, and Christina Desmond and Grainne Walsh.
Following their participation in the European Under-22 Championships, reigning Irish middleweight champions Gabriel Dossen and Aoife O’Rourke do not feature – with Emmet Brennan stepping in.
Fresh from a big win over U.S. star Christina Cruz, Carly McNaul is part of the team here while Tony Browne gets his first outing as part of the Irish Elite team.
Having missed the Ulster HP trip to New York, Michaela Walsh is in here, as is welterweight star Kieran Molloy and big man Dean Gardiner who is looking to round off his amateur career with a bang.
World champion Kelly Harrington is absent from the team.
The team will leave for Germany on Wednesday and will take part in a training camp at the German Olympic and Paralympic Centre in Kienbaum alongside the host nation, Cuba, Russia, Team GB, and mord, until April 8 before the start of the Chemistry Cup on April 9th.
Chemistry Cup Cologne, Germany April 9-14
Irish squad
51kg Carly McNaul (Holy Family)
52kg Brendan Irvine (St Paul’s)
57kg Michaela Walsh (Monkstown)
57kg Kurt Walker (Canal)
63kg James McGivern (St George’s)
63kg Wayne Kelly (Portlaoise)
69kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgan’s)
69kg Grainne Walsh (Sparticus)
69kg Kieran Molloy (Oughterard)
75kg Emmet Brennan (Glasnevin)
81kg Joe Ward (Spartocus)
91kg Tony Browne (St Michael’s)
91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)
Team Manager: Bernard Dunne
Coaches: Zaur Antia, John Conlan, Damian Kennedy
Physiotherapist: Muireann Harte
Physiologist: Damian Martin
