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