Medal hope Molloy beaten by home favourite in European Games

Medal hope Kieran Molloy exited the European Games at the last 16 stage in Minsk this evening.

The fighter, who defeated new Top Rank pro Paddy Donovan to win the National Elite Senior title earlier this year, was beaten on a 4-1 split.

The talented welterweight was eventually beaten by home favourite Yauheni Dauhaliavets on a 4-1 score.

Molloy defeated Northern Macedonia’s Goce Janeski in the first round, but lost out today and exited the tournament. 

It wasn’t all bad news for Ireland as three more fighters moved to within a win of a medal.

Kurt Walker got the day off to a perfect start with victory over Zhirayr Sargsyan of Armenia.

Sargsyan came into the bout with upset previous having knocked out Romania’s two-time EUBC European U22 Champion Robert Jitaru in the opening round and played his part in a tough encouther.

However, the Belfast fighter, who excited the the tournament at the first hurdle back in 2015, managed to secure a place in the quarter finals.

The bantamweight was a 4-1 split decision winner.

The same result was read out when Tipperary’s big man Dean Gardiner took to the ring, but unfortunately for the super heavyweight it didn’t fall in his favour.

The Clonmel fighter lost out via a 4-1 split decision to Mikheil Bakhtidze of Georgia, a 2011 European Championship medal winner, in the super heavyweight ranks.

A 4-1 split soon after fell in the favour of Michaela Walsh. The Belfast talent defeated old foe Lenuta-Lacramioara Perijoc to move within one win of a adding a medal to a collection that already includes European Championship bronze, EU gold and two Commonwealth Games silver medals.

Grainne Walsh also moved to within one win of a medal with possibly the win of the day.

The Tullamore BC fighter beat the best Team GB had to offer Rossie Eccles to move into the quarter finals.

Considering Eccles is a World and Commonwealth Games silver medal winner it was a difficult opening bout for EU Bronze medal winner.

However, she managed to get her hand raised after securing a 4-1 win.

Belfast’s James McGivern  and Roscommon’s Aoife O’Rourke will fight their last-16 bouts tomorrow, versus Armenia’s Hovhannes Bachkov and Belarus’ Viktoryia Kebikava respectively.