MEDAL ALERT – Patsy Joyce breezes past Ukranian to secure Euro bronze

Patsy Joyce finally proved his international credentials in Sofia today.

The six-time Irish champion has long been heralded as a fighter capable of translating domestic dominance to the international stage. Indeed, the confident kid has said as much himself on more than one occasion. However, the pandemic robbed him of the chance to do so.

He proved he can walk the walk as well as talk the talk in the first of six Irish European Youth Championships quarter-finals this afternoon, as he secured a bronze medal at the very least thanks to an impressive performance.

Joyce eased his way past Vladislav Kondratuk of Ukraine to step onto the podium and into the 48kg semi-finals. Joyce boxed brilliantly throughout showing supreme skills and the kind of footwork that would suggest that Aidan Walsh, not John Joe Joyce is the Olympian in his family.

Joyce established a southpaw jab very early in the fight and used it as a scoring shot over the first minute and a half. Kondratuk became a little more aggressive in a bid to get into the fight and landed some left hooks, but also walked onto some nicely times backhands from the fleet-footed West Meath man.

Kondratuk tried to drag Joyce into a fight in the second but Joyce’s footwork allowed him to keep a range that suited his skill set. Once things were long Joyce’s class shone through. His jab was once again superb, he had the Zaur Antia check hook off either hand down and wasn’t back hand shy off the back foot.

The Olympic Mullingar talent held his feet more in the third and showed he was fight capable too. It did allow for more Kondratuk success but Joyce landed some big straight lefts of his own, snapping the Ukrainian’s head back on more than one occassion.

He was back on his toes in the last minute and gave a perfect matador versus bull example when he nigh on cheek hooked his opponent head first into the nuetral corner.

The victory saw Joyce get a busy day for Irish boxing off to a successful start. The teenager also becomes Ireland’s first male medalist of these games and sixth medal winner overall.

We start off Tuesday with medal #6 for Ireland at the European Youths (U18s) in Sofia 🇧🇬

Mullingar light fly Patsy Joyce (nephew of Olympian John Joe Joyce) breezes past Ukraine to guarantee a bronze 🥉

Classy fighter. I believe he is unbeaten his entire career 0️⃣ pic.twitter.com/rUmquwviWg

— Joe O’Neill (@J0E_90) April 19, 2022

Team Ireland Squad:
48kg: Georgia McGovern, Setanta              

48kg: Patsy Joyce, Olympic                         

50kg: Katie O’Keefe, Kanturk                 

51kg: Adam McKenna, Holy Family          

52kg: Esther Lambe, Setanta

54kg: Shakira Donoghue, Templemore 

54kg: Gavin Ryan, Ratoath                        

57kg: Yasmin Meredith, Corinthians: Team Captain        

57kg: John Donoghue, St Michaels Athy

60kg: Jason Nevin, Olympic

63kg: Winnie McDonagh, Neilstown              

63.5kg: Tom McDonnell, Docklands                             

66kg: Gabrielle Mongan, Whitechurch          

67kg: Jim Donovan, Our Lady of Lourdes

70kg: Laura Moran, St Annes

71kg: Bobbi Flood, Cabra: Team Captain.                                   

75kg: Emma Keating, Paulstown                            

75kg: Joshua Olaniyan, Jobstown                             

80kg: Ryan Murphy, Neilstown                             

81kg: Dearbhla Tinnelly, Clann Naofa     

81+kg: Cliona Darcy, Tobar Pheadair   

86kg: Nathan Ojo, Esker

92kg: David J McDonagh, Olympic               

92+kg: Bernie Cawley, St David’s, Naas

Team Manager:          

Anna Moore 

Coaches:                     

James Doyle 

Liam Cunningham 

Aoife Hennigan 

Gerard McDaid 

Jim O’Neill

R & J:                          

Martin O’Neill