Long and Irvine advance in World Youth Championships

Ireland experienced mixed fortunes at the AIBA World Youth Championships and Olympic Youth qualifiers in Sofia, Bulgaria Yesterday.

 Brendan Irvine and Cormac Long advanced, but Johnny Joyce bowed out of the tournament in Sofia.

Irvine, who had to wait six days before making his World Youth debut, impressive en route to a unanimous decision over talented Armenian light-fly Artur Hoyhannisyan.

The Antrim ace showcasesd good shot selection and footwork against an opponent who put up a real fight in Sofia. The pick of Irvine’s punches was a sweet right hook in the third.

Joyce, despite taking the fight to Great Britain’s John Docherty (Scotland) for the majority of the three rounds and finding the target with the majority of the cleaner shots, was adjudged to have lost on a split decision.

Limerick light-heavy Cormac Long, who, like Irvine, had to wait nearly a week to make his World Youth debut, built on a solid first round to secure a split decision over Hungary’s Karoly Berk.

Long took the first round, the Shannonsider lashing home some good shots off both hands. Berk had a solid second round, however, but Long made an excellent start to the third to seal victory and ensure it is going to be a busy Easter Sunday for Irish boxing in Sofia tomorrow.

IABA World Youth Championships Sofia Bulgaria

 

April 14th (last 64)
52kg Willie Donoghue (Ireland) beat Kdhim Al-Saedi (Iraq) 3-0

 

April 15th (last 64)
56kg Gary Cully (Ireland) lost to Voldymyr Fedora (Ukraine) 1-2
60kg Tiernan Bradley (Ireland) lost to Liam Wilson (Australia) 0-3
W51kg Kristina O’Hara (Ireland) lost to Crystal Barker (Great Britain) 1-2

 

April 16th (last 64)
64kg Wayne Kelly (Ireland) lost to Ayan Kalibekov (Kazakhstan) 0-3
69kg Johnny Joyce (Ireland) beat Mohamed Hikal (Egypt) 3-0

April 17th (last 32)
52kg Willie Donoghue (Ireland) beat Domenik Hirsch (Germany) 3-0
91kg Michael Gallagher (Ireland) beat Evangeles Frangos (Canada) 2-1
W60kg Ciara Ginty (Ireland) beat Nikol Mladenova (Bulgaria) 3-0
W75kg Christina Desmond (Ireland) beat Ekaternina Serova (Russia) 3-0

April 18th
W60kg Ciara Ginty (Ireland) beat Anastasia Nesmiyanov (Russia) 2-1 (last 16)
75kg Luke Thomas (Ireland) lost to Ramil Gadzhyiev (Ukraine) (last 32) 0-3
W75kg Christina Desmond (Ireland) beat Albulena Gubetini (Kosovo) 2-0 (last 16)

April 19th (last 32)
49kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) beat Artur Hoyhannisyan (Armenia) 3-0
69kg Johnny Joyce (Ireland) lost to Jack Docherty (Great Britain) 1-2
81kg Cormac Long (Ireland) beat Karoly Berk (Hungary) 2-1

April 20th (Last 16)

49kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) v Ishanka Witharana (India)
52kg Willie Donoghue (Ireland) v Gaurev Solanki (India)

81kg Cormac Long (Ireland) Vegar Tregren (Norway)
91kg Michael Gallagher (Ireland) v Connal McDonald (Great Britain)

 

April 21st Q/Finals (morning sesssion)
W60kg Ciara Ginty (Ireland) v Monica Floridia (Italy)
W75kg Christina Desmond (Ireland) v Elzbieta Wojcik (Poland)

 

IRISH SQUAD

 

Women
51kg Kristina O’Hara (Emerald)
60kg Ciara Ginty (Geesala)
75kg Christina Desmond (Macroom)

 

Men
49kg Brendan Irvine (St Paul’s)
52kg Willie Donoghue (St Michael’s Athy)
56kg Gary Cully (St David’s)
60kg Tierna Bradley (Sacred Heart)
64kg Wayne Kelly (Ballinacargy)
69kg Johnny Joyce (St Michael’s Athy)
75kg Luke Thomas (Watergrasshill)
81kg Cormac Long (Rathkeale)
91kg Michael Gallagher (Finn Valley)

Team manager Liam Brereton
Coaches: Billy McClean, Tom Hayes, Gerry Storey, Anita Just