Three is the Magic Number for Team Ireland on European U19 Championship Opening Day
Team Ireland have recorded three opening day wins at the European U19 Champonships in Ostrava, Czech Republic yesterday.
60kg Sean McCusker was the first of four boxers in action, contesting gainst England’s Isaac Suwit Huczmann, winning by 4-1 split decision. Judges scored the bout 30:27, 28:29, 28:29, 27:30, 27: 30. McCusker is next in action, in the Last 16, against Estonia’s Aleksandr Jivoloup on Thursday.
A decisive opening win for Team Ireland’s Jason Whelan. The Dubliner boxed his 75kg Last 32 bout against Brendon Berki of Hungary, and comes away with a 5-0 win. A point was deducted from the Hungarian for holding and the final scores were: 25:30, 25:30, 25:30, 26:30, 26:30. The Dublin Dockland’s boxer is through to the Last 16 and is next in action on Thursday, against Bulgaria’s Sami Hisham Hashem Khalil.
Team Ireland’s 65kg John Donoghue opened his account at the championships in style. He was the decisive unanimous decision winner over Albania’s Juren Lazri – 27:30, 27:30, 27:30, 27:30,27:30. The Olympic Mulingar boxer is back in action on Thursday, in Last 16 action against Norway’s Eldar Redzic.
Not to be on this occasion for Team Ireland Co-Captain, 70kg Patrick Kelly. He put in a robust performance in the Last 32 against Romania’s Daniel Adrian Grigorie. The 5-0 decision went to the Romanian boxer on a scoreline of 29:27, 29:27, 30:26, 29:27, 29:27.
105 female and 189 male boxers from 33 nations are competiting. The participating nations are: Albania, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine.
Team Ireland
48kg Chloe Cox, Setanta BC, Co. Kildare
50kg Kurt Kinsella, Monkstown BC Dublin
51kg Kayleigh Byrne, Gorey BC, Co. Wexford
55kg Michael Reilly. St. Paul’s BC, Co. Waterford
57kg Grace Conway, Tredagh BC, Co. Louth
60kg Sean McCusker, Dealgan BC, Co. Louth
65kg John Donoghue, Olympic BC, Co. Westmeath
70kg Katelyn Butler, St. Colman’s BC Co. Cork
70kg Patrick Kelly, St. Abban’s/Kilmyshall BC Co. Wexford
75kg Nessa Tabachuk, Celtic Eagles BC, Co. Galway
75kg Jason Whelan, Dublin Docklands BC
85kg Chulainn McDonnell, Whitechurch BC, Dublin
90kg Shay O’Dowd, Swords BC Dublin
Support staff:
Team Manager: Jennifer O’Sullivan, Sliabh Luachra BC, Kerry
Coaches: Liam Cunningham, Saints ABC, Belfast; Ralph McKay, St. Paul’s BC, Belfast; Aoife Hennigan. Swinford BC, Co. Mayo; Garry Keogh, Marble City BC, Co. Kilkenny
