MEDAL ALERTS – O’Rourke and Marley Secure BRONZE at Least

Team Ireland claimed their first two Strandja medals in Bulgaria today.

Olympic-qualified duo Aoife O’Rourke and Jack Marley both secured bronze at the very least with impressive wins.

European Champion, O’Rourke was the first step onto the podium getting one over her old rival Elzbieta Wojcik on a busy day for Irish boxing.

The Roscommon star earned a medal by outpointing the Pole in the 75kg class.

Monkstown’s Marley followed suit, adding another international medal to his collection with his quarter-final win.

The heavyweight assured himself of at least a bronze by defeating Madiyar Saydrakhimov of Uzbekistan.

It wasn’t to be for the two other Irish fighters in quarter-final action on Thursday.

Niamh Fay and Lisa O’Rourke suffered defeats in the 54kg and 66kg weight classes respectively.

Ballyboughal’s Fay battled hard against Sara Cirkovic of Serbia but was on the wrong side of the decision, losing 5-0 on the judge’s cards.

Roscommon footballer and Olympic Galway BC puncher, O’Rourke was outpointed by Aneta Rygielska of Poland and couldn’t step onto the podium after a 4-1 split decision defaeat.

Team

50kg Shannon Sweeney, St. Anne’s BC, Mayo*

54kg Niamh Fay, Phoenix of Ballyboughal BC, Dublin

57kg Michaela Walsh, Holy Family GG, Belfast

66kg Lisa O’Rourke, Castlerea BC, Roscommon

75kg Aoife O’Rourke, Castlerea BC, Roscommon

51kg Rickey Nesbitt, Holy Family BC, Drogheda

57kg Adam Hession, Monivea BC, Galway

63.5kg Dean Clancy, Sean McDermott BC, Leitrim

71kg Eugene McKeever, Holy Family, Drogheda

92kg Jack Marley, Monkstown BC, Dublin

92+kg Martin McDonagh, Crumlin, Dublin.

Draws are available here