Medal Alert – Four Irish Fighters Secure Euro Bronze at Least after a Fantastic Friday
Team Ireland secured four European U22 Championship medals after an action-packed Friday in Croatia.
Four Team Ireland women will return home with at least bronze after impressive performances in the prestigious tournament.
Eight Irish fighters were in quarter-final action over a bumper day in Porec, with four winning medals.
57kg Zara Breslin and 54kg Niamh Fay returned to the ring today in their Quarter Finals, having won their opening bouts on Wednesday, against Hungary and Ukraine, respectively. Unfortunetly Tramore BC boxer Breslin saw her interest in the tournament come to an end following a split decision loss to Italy. Ballboughal’s Fay secured at least a bronze, following a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Jonna Hakkrainen of Finand.
Light flyweight Caitlin Fryers also met Finnish opposition in Pihla Kaivo-Oja, but she goes out following a 5-0 decision in favour of her opponent.
Light middleweight Lisa O’Rourke met Melissa Gemini of Italy, and was decisive and dominant throughout the bout to record a unanimous decision win.
4 medals in the bag for #TeamIreland at the European U22 Championships today, and the chance to up-grade in the Women's Semi Finals on Sunday.
— IABA (@IABABOXING) March 18, 2022
6 #TeamIreland boxers are in Men's Quarter Finals action on Saturday:https://t.co/cclYH7xGZ1 pic.twitter.com/eRzdyirIdc
Welterweight Kaci Rock has secured passage to the semi-finals following a 3-2 split decision win over Ukraine’s Maryna Stokio. Rock’s Enniskerry clubmate, Daina Moorehouse faced home boxer and World medallist, Nikolina Cacic, and came out the wrong side of a 3-2 split. Middleweight Aoibhe Carabine won a unanimous decision victory over Hungary’s Regina Lakos. Light welterweight, Eve Woods, contested against Italy’s Miriam Tommasone and exits the competition following a 5-0 decision for her opponent.
The four winners are back in action on Sunday and will be looking to upgrade bronze to silver at least.
Saturday is men’s quarter-finals day, another busy one for Team Ireland, with 6 boxers contesting.
Lightweight Paul Loonam recorded a unanimous decision win over Hungary’s Ruben Romai in a dominating performance on St. Patrick’s Day, and will box again tomorrow. Likewise, bantamweight Dylan Eagleson, who put in an assured performance against Armenia’s Erik Tokhyan and came away with a unanimous decision on Thursday.
Making their tournament debuts are 49kg Padraig Downey, who will meet Bulgarian Ergyunal Sebahtin. Flyweight Clepson dos Santos will take on Azerbaijan’s Nijat Huseynov. Heavyweight, Jack Marley, who received a bye in the draw, will step between the ropes in the quarter-final afternoon session. Barry O’Connor will box his third bout of the tournament in the semi-finals.
