EUROPEAN U15 CHAMPIONSHIPS – Five More Silver Secured

A remarkable 7 Team Ireland boxers have won through to the finals of the European U15 Championships in Budva.

Five Irish boxers swapped bronze for silver at least in Budva on Friday. Pa Casey, Ronan Charles, Kieran McDonagh, Maciey Duffy O’Connor, and Thomas Reilly will join Roisin Hegarty and Maciey Field in finals action.

Ireland will finish joint second in the “raw” medals table. Ukraine is in first place with 19 medals and Ireland joint second on 13 with England. The finalised medals table, which takes account of the number of gold, silver and bronze medals per team, will be released after the finals.

Ronan Charles has up-graded to at least a silver. He was the unanimous decision winner of his semi-final against Romania’s Ioan Auras Cantar – 27:30; 27:30; 28:29; 28:29; 28:29. He face Mason Long of England in the 42kg final.

44kg Pa Casey is, at minimum, a silve medalist, follow his UD win over England’s Thomas Catanach in his semi final – setting up a match with Hasam Falah of Israel. Judges scored the bout 27:30; 27:30; 27:30; 27:30; 27:30.

57kg Kieran McDonagh has swopped bronze for silver by way of a 3-2 split decision win over Czech Republic’s Rene Polak in a tumultuous semi-final scored 30:27; 28:29; 29:28; 28:29; 30:27. McDonagh will take on Ukraine’s Mark Faniian Mark tomorrow.

48kg Macie Duffy O’Connor will come home with at least silver following her 5-0 semi final win over Scotland’s England’s Jenna Dally. Judges scored the bout 29:28; 30:27; 30:27; 30:27; 30:27. She will box for gold against Georgia’s Elene Karchava.

75kg Thomas O’Reilly has stepped further up the podium with his 5-0 winover Yenerhan Eroglu of Turkey. Judges scores were: 30:27; 30:26; 30:26; 30:27; 30:27. He’s boxing for gold against Azerbaijan’s Yusif Aghakishiyev

Team Co-Captain 48kg Zac Creighton will come home with bronze. The Avona boxer battled a hair’s breadth close semi-final against Vakaris Kiseliunas of Lithuania and the 3-2 decision went to his opponent. The final scores were 28:29; 29:28; 28:29; 29:28; 29:28. Zac has had a great championships, with wins over Israel and Latvia

52kg Patrick Hourican of Sean Doran’s BC, Armagh will bring home bronze. He fought a brave semi-final against Georgia’s Giorgi Akhveldiani. The 5-0 decision went to his opponent on a scoreline of 27:30; 27:30; 27:30; 28:29; 27:30. Patrick has had an excellent championships, recording wins over Hungary and Romania. While 63kg Charlie Joyce Connolly, Jobstown BC, Dublin will also come home with bronze. He contested his semi final against Zidane Tazeem of England and the 5-0 decision went to his opponent – the final scores were 28:29; 28:29; 28:29; 28:29; 27:30. Charlie has had a great tournament, with a quarter final win over Lithuania.