Ireland record four European Junior opening day wins
Team Ireland made a positive start to the European Junior Championships in Italy today.
Ireland recorded four wins from five opening day fights in Montelsilvano.
John Harty was the first Irish fighter in action in the 2022 installment of the competition for Ireland and opened the country’s account with a 5-0 win over Azerbaijan’s Ibrahim Zeynalov.
Welterweight Tadhg O’Donnell took on Mahmoud Karnaba of Cyprus in Bout 11 in the same ring and session, and also came away with a 5-0 win.
In the opening day’s evening session, bantamweight Anthony James Kelly boxed Scotland’s Nathan Lundie, and made it three unanimous decisions out of three for Team Ireland.
Middleweight, Dylan Dunlop contested against home boxer, Guiseppe Cirillo and suffered the sole defeat of the day. The bout, which included a point deduction for the Irish boxer, went to the Italian higher.
At heavyweight, Jobstown’s Adam Olaniyan overcame English opposition via John-Joe McCormack, and came away with a 5-0 win.
Several Team Ireland boxers have byes to the next round of the preliminaries, including 57kg Callum Carragher, 60kg Ryan Jenkins, 63kg Cillian Reilly, 70kg Charlie Valbergs, 50kg Grace Conway and 66kg Sarah Murphy.
75kg Mary McDonagh is already assured of at least a bronze medal – she begins her competition at the semi-final stage.
The tournament is being live-streamed by the EUBC on its YouTube channel, here, and by IBA on its YouTube channel, here
Team Ireland Squad:
Male Boxers:
1. 44-46kg Alfie Jordan (Olympic L)
2. 48kg Jamie Collins (Drimnagh)
3. 50kg Calvin Doyle (Olympic L)
4. 52kg Johnny Harty (Portlaoise)
5. 54kg James Kelly (Holy Trinity)
6. 57kg Callum Carrager (Tredagh)
7. 60kg Ryan Jenkins (Olympic L)
8. 63kg Cillian Reilly (Jobstown)
9. 66kg Tadhg O’Donnell (Four Kings)
10. 70kg Charlie Valbergs (Cherry Orchard). Team Captain
11. 75kg Dylan McShane (St Pauls A)
12. 80kg Jack Teggart Weatherall (St Pauls A)
13. 80+kg Adam Olaniyan (Jobstown)
Female Boxers
1. 44-46kg Sophie Curley Gray (Dealgan)
2. 50kg Grace Conway (Tredagh)
3. 52kg Carlagh Peake (Ballyhaunis)
4. 54kg Niamh Keogh (Olympic L)
5. 57kg Siofra Lawless (Liberty)
6. 60kg Ava Henry (Docklands) Team Captain,
7. 63kg Kayleigh Whelan (Avona)
8. 66kg Sarah Murphy (St Brigids L)
9. 70kg Jodie Byrne (St Teresa’s)
10. 75kg Mary McDonagh (Sliabh Luachra)
11. 80kg Shauna Crehan (Dunboyne)
Team Manager
Martin Fennessy
Coaches
1. Ralph McKay
2. Liam Cunningham
3. Paul O’Toole
4. Linda Morgan
Referee/Judge
Philip Hollowed
Drawsheets are available here
