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Ireland get off to Golden Gong winning start

Luke Maguire got Ireland off to a winning start at the Golden Gong multi-nations in Skopje, North Macedonia on Thursday.

The ESker BC light-middleweight recorded a unanimous decision victory over hometown fighter Marine Naccarie on the opening day of the 50th edition of the tournament.

The 72kg fighter will return to action tomorrow where he will fight Kosovo’s entrant at the weight for a place in the final. Dean Clancy, Jack Rapple and Sean Purcell are also in last four action Friday. Wayne Kelly received a bye into the final while Jake Marley received a walkover. Paddy McShane suffered an ankle injury and was forced to withdraw.

Golden Gong Multi Nations North Macedonia


November 11th
Quarter-finals

72kg Luke Maguire (Ireland) beat  Marine Naccarie (Moldova) 5-0

S/Finals November 12
63.5kg Dean Clancy Ireland) v  Nazif Sejdi (Serbia)

54kg Jake Rapple (Ireland) V Bashkin Bajoka (Kosovo)

57kg Sean Purcell (Ireland ) v Sing Yu To (China)

72kg Luke McGuire (Ireland) v  TBA (Kosovo)

Final Novermber 13

67kg Wayne Kelly (Ireland ) v Sneptin Bajoka (Kosovo)


51kg Jack Marley (Ireland) W/O

Irish squad
51kg Paddy McShane (Letterkenny)

54kg Jake Rapple (Monkstown Dublin)

57kh Sean Purcell (Saviours/ Crystal)

63.5kg Dean Clancy (Sean McDermott)

67kg Wayne Kelly (Ballincargy)

72kg Luke Maguire (Esker)

91+kg Jack Marley  (Monkstown Dublin)

Coaches: Damian Kennedy and Rory McShane.

Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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