Team Ireland assured of SEVEN Golden Belt medals

Team Ireland recorded four wins on Day Two of the Golden Belt-Nicolae Linca Tournament in Targu Mures, Romania, and are now assured of seven medals.

66kg Gráinne Walsh has won through to the semi finals, and at least a bronze medal, following unanimous decision victory over Hungary’s Vivien Bodai in the first bout of the day. Bodai was giving standing counts in the first and third rounds.

In bout 3 of the same session, 57kg Adam Hession was decisive in his victory over home boxer, Romania’s Laurentiu Mihai Vaduva, in the preliminaries. He’s now booked his place in the Quarter Finals.

67kg Eugene McKeever contested strongly against Georgia’s  Lasha Gurili in the Quarter Finals but came out the wrong side of a unanimous decision.

Olympic Bronze medallist, Aidan Walsh, made his post-Tokyo return to the ring against Uzbekistan’s Turgunboev Kromronbek and came away with a split decision win. The Belfast fighter is now through to the semi-finals and has secured at least a bronze medal.

80kg Kelyn Cassidy was the last Irish boxer between the ropes, facing home boxer, Catalin Florin Serban in the Quarter Final. Serban was given a standing count in the opening seconds of the first round as Cassidy went on to secure a unanimous decision victor progressing through to the semi finals and picking up at least a bronze medal in the process.

Of the Irish boxers yet to open their campaigns at the Golden Belt, 48kg Shannon Sweeney meets Spain’s Marta Arbol Lopez in her semi-final, and has secured at least a bronze

60kg Amy Broadhurst has a straight final against home boxer, Pita Daniela and is also assured of a medal.

While at 70kg, Christina Desmond meets Ukraine’s Mariia Siedaia in her opening bout, also at Quarter Final stage.

In the men’s draw, 48kg Ricky Nesbitt will face Ukrainian opposition in the Semi Finals of the competition.

Two Irish boxers are contesting at 63.5kg – Dean Clancy, drawn against Belgium’s Mohamed Boukala, and Brandon McCarthy, opens his account at the tournament at Quarter Finals stage, against Uzbekistan’s Kenaey Shobrunkbek

At 75kg, Ireland’s Gabriel Dossen has a bye to the semi-finals, where he will face either German or Uzbek opposition.

Team Ireland Squad:

Women:

W48kg Shannon Sweeney, St. Anne’s, Mayo.

W57kg Jennifer Lehane, DCU, Dublin
W63kg Amy Broadhurst, St. Bronaghs ABC, Rostrevor.

W66kg Gráinne Walsh, Spartacus, Tullamore, Co. Offaly

W70kg Christina Desmond, Dungarvan BC, Waterford/Garda Boxing Club

Men:

48kg Rickey Nesbitt, Holy Family, Drogheda

57kg Adam Hession, Monivea BC, Galway.

63.5kg Brandon McCarthy, St. Michael’s Athy

63.5kg Dean Clancy, Sean McDermott BC, Manorhamilton, Leitrim.

67kg Eugene McKeever, Holy Family, Drogheda

71kg Aidan Walsh, Emerald , Belfast

75kg Gabriel Dossen, Olympic, Galway.

80kg Kelyn Cassidy, Saviours Crystal BC, Waterford.

Coaches: Dmitrij Dmitruk, Eoin Pluck, Igor Khmil

Physio: Robert Tuomey

R&J: Sean Duffy