Two wins from Two for Team Ireland on Day 1 of European U22s

Team Ireland began its 2023 European U22 Championship campaign today with two wins from two.

57kg Donagh Keary of Rathfriland BC met Spain’s Juan Moreno Pantoja in Ring A’s 3rd bout, and came away with a 3-2 win. Judges scored the bout 27:30, 29:28, 28:29, 29:28, 27:30. Over in Ring B, 63.5kg James “Shamie” McDonagh of St Paul’s Waterford contested against Turkey’s Kagan Bilge Kanli – and recorded a UD. The judges scored that bout 28:29, 27:30, 27:30, 27:30, 27:30. Full results of all of today’s bouts are available here

Thirty-four teams with 299 boxers (202 men and 97 women) are in Budva. The participating teams are Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Georgia, IBA-Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey and IBA-Neutral

The host city, Budva, has a special resonance for Team Ireland – it was the location of the 2022 Women’s European Championship, where the team came home with 3 gold, a silver and 2 bronze medals, topping the table in the process.

Team Ireland had a very successful campaign at the 2022 European U22 Championships in Porec, Croatia, in March of that year, returning with 3 gold medals, 1 silver and 3 bronze medals. The golds were claimed by heavyweight and now Paris 2024 Olympian, Jack Marley, Lisa O’Rourke who would claim a World gold just 2 months later, and 54kg Niamh Fay.

Team Ireland
48kg Nicole Buckley, St Carthages BC

50kg Chantelle Robinson, Saviours Crystal BC

57kg Robin Kelly, Ballynacargy BC

70kg Evelyn Igharo, Clann Naofa BC

75kg Bethany Doocey, Castlebar BC

81kg Dearbhla Tinnelly, Clann Naofa BC

48kg Padraig Downey, St. John Bosco BC, Antrim

51kg Clepson dos Santos, Holy Trinity BC

57kg Donagh Keary, Rathfriland BC

60kg Rhys Owens, Erne BC

63.5kg James “Shamie” McDonagh, St Paul’s Waterford

67kg Gareth Dowling, Dublin Docklands

75kg Gavin Rafferty, Dublin Docklands

80kg James Whelan, Dublin Dockland

86kg Kian Hedderman, O.L.O.L BC

Support Staff:

Team Manager, Sean Crowley

Coach: Jay Delaney

Coach: Lynne McEnery

Coach: Liam Cunningham

Coach: Aoife Hennigan

R&J: Stephen Kelly