Jon McConnell Gets Ireland Underway at the Euros

Only one Team Ireland boxer is in action on the opening day of the European Championships.

Reigning Commonwealth Games champion, Jon McConnell is the first to trade leather in an Ireland singlet in Serbia.

The Holy Trinity man has been handed a relatively tough start as he faces Turkey’s Necat Ekinci.

Ekinci is a Paris Olympian and a former World Youth Champion. He comes with a reputation as a talented operator, but the Belfast man is a fighter of note himself, and a confident one at that.

That’s Bout 7 of Ring B’s Evening Session, at around 5:45pm Irish time. The fight will prove a historic one, as it’s Ireland’s first ever fight at World Boxing Elite European Championships, previously Ireland contested the IABA’s European Championships.

Schedules Afternoon Session, Ring A | Afternoon Session, Ring B | Evening Session Ring A | Evening Session Ring B

Team Ireland

48kg Shannon Sweeney, St. Anne’s BC, Mayo

51kg Daina Moorehouse, Enniskerry BC, Wicklow

54kg Jennifer Lehane, DCU BC, Dublin

57kg Michaela Walsh, Holy Family BC, Belfast

60kg Kellie McLoughlin, St. Catherine’s BC, Dublin

60kg Jude Gallagher, Two Castles Olympic, Tyrone

65kg Dean Clancy, Sean McDermott BC, Leitrim

70kg Evelyn Igharo, Clann Naofa BC, Louth

70kg Jon McConnell, Holy Trinity BC, Belfast

75kg Aoife O’Rourke, Castlerea BC, Roscommon

75kg Gavin Rafferty, Dublin Docklands BC

80kg Lisa O’Rourke, Castlerea BC, Roscommon

80+kg Cliona D’Arcy, Tobair Pheadair BC, Galway

90kg Jack Marley, Monkstown BC, Dublin