Guts but no glory – Jack Marley has to settle for bronze
Jack Marley’s brilliant debut senior tournament came to somewhat of a disapointing end this evening.
Irish sports latest ‘Big Jack’ will have to settle for bronze after suffering defeat to bullish battler Artyan Yardanyar of Georgia in the last four of the European Under-22 Championships.
The teen heavyweight showed he had the quality, class and even the grit to defeat the puncher but a knockdown in round cost him the bout.
In fairness to Marley he recovered well and battled to the last but the fact the first round was scored 10-8 in the Georgian’s favour made it nigh on impossible to complete a comeback.
Still, the new to the scene now senior prospect doesn’t come home empty handed and managed to win bronze in his first ever senior competition.
It’s a massive achievment for the teen and an experience he can only benefit from.
While Marley couldn’t reach the decider his fellow Irish semi-finalists did. Adam Hession progressed to the bantamweight final two thanks to a walkover, while Dean Clancy outclassed Matteo Aba of Italy to make the light welterweight decider.
Marley started the first round brilliantly. His jab constantly in the face of the the aggressive Georgian, he also invested in some good body work and was showing great head movement.
However midway throught the round he got buzzed by a big right hand and put on his backside by the left hook that followed – and as a result he lost the first round and 10-8 on three cards.
It was educated brawler versus all rounder in the second. Marley was all action but the judges prefered the heavier punches of the his opponent, leaving the Monkstown fighter a mountain to climb in the last.
The teen didn’t quite scale Everest but did make it base camp. The heavyweight managed to back the blocky bull up on occassion and appeared the fresher of the two down the strech. He got reward for clean and constant work in the form of winning the round 4-1 but it wasn’t enough see him through to Thursday’s finals.
European U/22 Championships Roseto degli Abruzzi, Italy
June 17
Last 32
63kg Dean Clancy (Ireland) beat Pete Novak (Czech Republic) 5-0
69kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) beat Dan Krotter (Germany) 4-1
June 18
Last 32 and 16
52kg Sean Mari (Ireland) beat Hamza Mahmood (England) 4-1
51kg Niamh Earley (Ireland) lost to Romane Moulan (France) 1-4
63kg Dean Clancy (Ireland) beat Nenad Javanovic (Serbia) 5-0
75kg Gabriel Dossen (Ireland) lost to Moreno Fendero (France) 0-5
June 19
Last 16
52kg Sean Mari (Ireland) lost to Petre Cosmin (Romania) 0-5
56kg Adam Hession (Ireland) beat Gabor Virban (Hungary) 5-0
69kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) beat Eric Tudor (Romania) 4-1
81kg Kane Tucker (Ireland) lost to Raphael Monny (France) W/O
91kg Jack Marley (Ireland) beat Dariusz Lasotta (Germany) RSC3
June 20th
Last 16
91kg+ Gytis Lisinskas (Ireland) lost to Vincenzo Fiaschetti (Italy) 1-4
Q/Final
60kg Ellie May-Gartland (Ireland) Lost to Peige Richardson (England) 0-5
June 21st
Q/Finals
56kg Adam Hession Ireland) beat Bashir Bajwa (Germany) 5-0
63kg Dean Clancy (Ireland) beat Lounes Hanraoui (France) 3-2
69kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) lost to Harris Akbar (England) 0-5
91kg Jack Marley (Ireland) beat Andrei Zaplitni (Moldova) 5-0
June 22nd
S/Finals
56kg Adam Hession (Ireland) W/O Pawel Brach (Poland)
63kg Dean Clancy (Ireland) beat Matteo Aba (Italy) 5-0
91kg Jack Marley (Ireland) v Artyan Yardanyar (Georgia)
Irish squad
51kg Niamh Earley (Ryston)
60kg Ellie May-Gartland (Clonmel)
52kg Sean Mari (Monkstown)
56kg Adam Hession (Monivea) (Bronze, at least)
63kg Dean Clancy (Sean McDermott) (Bronze, at least)
69kg Kieran Molloy (Oughterard)
75kg Gabriel Dossen (Olympic)
81kg Kane Tucker (Emerald)
91kg Jack Marley (Monkstown) (Bronze, at least)
91kg+ Gytis Lisinskas (Celtic Eagles)
Team Manager: Tara Mari
Coaches: Eoin Pluck, Damain Kennedy, James Doyle
Physio: David Cooke
