Delighted Jon McConnell Gets Ireland Off to Winning Start
Team Ireland’s Jon McConnell has opened Team Ireland’s European Elite Championship campaign in style.
The Belfast man has seen-off Olympian, Turkey’s Necat Ekinci in decisive fashion in Serbia on Day One.
The 70kg Commonwealth Games champ was the 5-0 winner and judges scored the bout 27:30; 27:30; 27:30; 27:30; 27:30.
The Holy Trinity fighter will box his Last 16 contest on Saturday, against Damian Durkacz of Poland, who was the 5-0 winner over Lithuania’s Aleksandr Trofimcuk this evening. Durkacz, who is 27, is a Tokyo Olympian and the 2026 World Boxing Cup Brazil champion at the weight.
Speaking to Boxing Ireland’s Grainne Walsh after his win, McConnell said: “ The first one is always the hardest, everyone knows that. It’s a boxing saying. I felt good, I felt sharp. I had the first two rounds won and I took the last round off. In these tournaments, you know what it’s like, boxing back to back days.’
“The coaches were class in the corner. Everything they shouted was working to perfection. That was the tactics – use the jab early. Dominate from the start. The lead hand was always going to be important, because he’s experienced.
And, on being the first Team Ireland boxer between the ropes, Jon says “It felt good. It gave me an extra push to get the team off to a good start. Its an individual sport, but we’re here as Team Ireland. I definitely feel like, for me, I was happy to be on first so I can give my team mates a bit of support over the next few days.’
Of boxers yet to make their debut in Sofia, 2024 European champion, Mayo’s Shannon Sweeney, gets her championships underway at Last 16 stage on Saturday against Italy’s Chiara Mosetti. Poland’s Angelika Krysztoforska awaits the winner at 48kg medal stages in Monday’s Quarter Final.
Paris Olympian, Daina Moorehouse, renews rivalry with Bulgaria’s Zlatislava Chukanova in the Last 16 of the 51kg category in Saturday’s Afternoon Session. The pair last met at the 2nd Olympic Qualifier in Bangkok in the battle for a quota place – Daina was the victor there. Awaiting the winner in the quarter finals is World and European Games bronze medalist, Spain’s Laura Fuentes Fernandez. Daina last contested against the Spanish boxer at the 2025 World Boxing Championships, and lost on a dreaded 3-2 split.
Jenny Lehane has a bye, and is face to face with fellow Paris Olympian Wassila Lkhadiri at 54kg Last 16 in Sunday’s Afternoon Session. The pair didn’t meet in Paris, as Lkhadiri contested at 50kg and met Daina at Last 16 stage. The winner will take on either Finland or Poland at the medal stages on September 23rd.
Double Olympian, and 2026 Commonwealth Games silver medalist Michaela Walsh also has a bye and opens her account at Last 16 stage in Monday’s Evening Session against Montengro’s Bojana Gojkovic. Poland, Slovakia or Bulgaria will take on the winner on September 23rd for a 57kg medal.
Team Ireland’s Kellie McLoughlin also benefits from a bye to the Last 16 of in the Women’s lightweight category. She’ll take on seasoned French campaigner, Sthélyne Grosy, who has recently moved up to 60kg. She’s a multiple European U22/U23 medalist. The victor in that bout will contest for a medal against either Poland’s Olga Pavlina Papdatou or GB’s Amy Broadhurst.
Evelyn Igharo is two wins away from a medal in the 70kg category – she’s first in action against Belarussian, Aryna Danilchyk in Sunday’s Afternoon Session. The winner of that contest will box for a medal against England, Romania or Denmark.
Reigning World Champion Aoife O’Rourke must wait until Tuesday to begin her tournament. She’s starting at 75kg quarter final stage, against the winner of the Last 16 contest between Poland and France.
Her sister, 2022 World champ and 2025 World silver medalist, Lisa O’Rourke, is boxing for the first time at 80kg. She’s in Last 16 action against Vasiliki Stavridou of Greece in Saturday’s Evening Session. Stavridou is a European and European U23 medalist. England’s Emily Asquith will contest against the winner of that bout for a medal.
80+kg Cliona D’Arcy faces Poland’s Elżbieta Wójcik for a medal, having a bye to the quarter finals. That’s on Sunday’s Evening Session. Wójcik is a two time European Games bronze medalist, a double European Championship silver medalist. The winner of that contest will meet either Turkey or Ukraine in the semi finals.
