O’Callaghan secures Ireland’s Third Euro Youth and Junior medal

by Michael O’Neill

Team Ireland won three bouts and lost five in an intense day of ringside action at the European Women’s Youth and Junior Championships in Keszthely on the shores of Lake Balaton.

Clann Naofa’s Shauna O’Callaghan produced a sparking performance to guarantee Ireland another bronze medal with a very convincing 3:0 win over Kosovo’s 2015 World Junior Silver medallist, Doneta Sadiku.

In so doing she also guaranteed herself a place in Friday’s semi-finals.
Dealgan’s Orla Garvey TKO’d Romania’s Ionita Paluca within minutes of Immaculata BC’s Caitlin Fryers gaining a unanimous decision over Paluca’s friend and team mate Cristina Acioloanitei.

Garvey,a first cousin of former European champion Amy Broadhurst,controlled the fight from the opening bell and has been in a rich vein of form recently.

Niamh Earley who boxes out of the Ryston club in Kildare produced a fine performance yesterday, but still lost out to the impressive English girl,Ivy-Jane Smith (0:3)

Turning to the Youth division, St. Anne’s Shannon Sweeney had to retire in the first round following a facial injury against Serbia’s Andrea Milosevic (TKOI 1).Shannon was so unlucky but her turn will come and the experience gained here will stand her in good stead for the future.

Caitlin Sweeney (St.Brigid’s Edenderry) battled gamely against Andrea Seni, who reached the last-eight at the World Youth championships in May but the Romanian emerged victorious on the day.(0:3)

Bracken’s Chloe Gray fought a gallant fight, but lost to Russian light-welter Elisaveta Memsteva, the current World Youth silver medallist, while England’s Chantelle Reid edged a split decision over Aoife Burke.

“I definitely thought that Aoife did enough to win that one,” said Irish coach Liam Brereton.

“Massive displays from all the squad today and some of the girls were appearing in their first international Championships and they all gave it everything. You can’t buy experience like this.”

Amy Broadhurst, who claimed a silver medal at the 2014 European Youths in Italy, will be in action here for the first time on Wednesday when she meets host nation boxer Marietta Kiss.

Current AIBA World Junior bronze medallist Kelsey Leonard, Chloe Callender and Lauren Kelly will also be between the ropes in quarter-final bouts against Romania,Hungary and Croatia respectively.

European Women’s Youth and Junior Championships
YOUTHS:
August 18th
51kg Caitlin Sweeney (Ireland) lost to Andrea Seni (Romania) (last 16) 0-3
Q/Finals
48kg Shannon Sweeney (Ireland) lost to Andrea Milosevic (Serbia) TKOI1
64kg Chloe Gray (Ireland) lost to Elisaveta Memsteva (Russia) 0-3
75kg Aoife Burke (Ireland) lost to Chantelle Reid (England) 1-2
August 19th (Q/Final)
57kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) v Marietta Kiss (Hungary)
August 21st (S/Final)
69kg Saoirse Dignam (Ireland) v Sonia Sabiniarz (Poland)
JUNIORS:
August 18th (Q/Finals)
48kg Caitlin Fryers (Ireland) beat Cristina Acioloanitei (Romania) 3-0
52kg Niamh Earley (Ireland) lost to Ivy-Jane Smith (England) 0-3
57kg Orla Garvey (Ireland) beat Ionita Paluca (Romania) TKO2
60kg Shauna O’Callaghan (Ireland) beat Doneta Sadiku (Kosovo) 3-0
August 19th (Q/Finals)
46kg Chloe Callender (Ireland) v Christina Borah (Romania)
50kg Kelsey Leonard (Ireland) v Kamilla Finesz (Hungary)
66kg Lauren Kelly (Ireland) v Annamarita Krali (Croatia)
August 20th (S/Finals)
48kg Caitlin Fryers (Ireland) v Olga Vozniak (Ukraine)
57kg Orla Garvey (Ireland) v Havanur En (Turkey)
63kg Katelynn Phelan (Ireland) v Vittoria Decarlo (Italy)
August 21st (S/Finals)
60kg Shauna O’Callaghan (Ireland) v Olexandra Kharytonuk (Ukraine)
Irish squad:
Youths
48kg Shannon Sweeney (St Anne’s)
51kg Caitlin Sweeney (St Brigid’s, Edenderry)
54kg Saidbh Greene (St Brigid’s, Edenderry)
57kg Amy Broadhurst (Dealgan)
60kg Shannon Edge (St Brigid’s, Edenderry)
64kg Chloe Gray (Bracken)
69kg Saoirse Dignam (Sacre Coeur) (Bronze, at least)
75kg Aoife Burke (St Marys)
Junior
46kg Chloe Callander (Ryston)
48kg Caitlin Fryers (Immaculata) (Bronze, at least)
50kg Kelsey Leonard (Curragh)
52kg Niamh Earley (Ryston)
54kg Labhaoise Clarke (Carndonagh)
57kg Orla Garvey (Dealgan) (Bronze, at least)
60kg Shauna O’Callaghan (Clann Naofa) (Bronze, at least)
63kg Katelynn Phelan (St Brigids, Kildare) (Bronze, at least)
66kg Lauren Kelly (St Brigid’s, Edenderry)
70kg Lauryn Sinclair (Ryston)