Irish squad
Joe Ward, Grainne Walsh, Michaela Walsh and Aoife O’Rourke struck quadruple gold at the Nicolae Linca Golden Belt in Romania today.
Kellie Harrington, who was desperately unlucky not to make that five gold medals, and Kiril Afanasev, boxing for the fourth time in four days, lost out in the lightweight and heavyweight finals.
Today’s haul, plus the bronze claimed in Galati, helped Ireland finish in top spot in the medals table.
Three-time European Elite champion Ward showed his class to score a unanimous decision over hot Romanian prospect Paul Aradoaie, while O’Rourke added to her growing reputation in the middleweight category versus Romania’s Onela Nane.
Michaela Walsh, the current EU champion, beat Romania’s lively feather Lacramioara Perijoc and Ward’s Sparticus BC team-mate, Grainne Walsh, saw off Perijoc’s compatriot Maria Borei in the welter decider.
Harrington, meantime, was on top in all three rounds against Julia Tsyplakova but the decision went to the Ukrainian lightweight. Big performance also from Afanasev versus Serhi Horskov in a bout which could have gone either way.
Irish head coach Zaur Antia and coaches John Conlan and Tom Murray and team manager Eugene O’Kane hailed the performances of the Irish squad in Romania.
Loughlin Gannon was the Irish R&J in Galati and Séamus Caffrey the Team Ireland physio.
The medal-laden Irish squad are due to arrive home via Dublin Airport at 4.30pm tomorrow afternoon.
(Images courtesy of Irish coaches Zaur Antia, John Conlan and Tom Murray)
Nicolae Linca Elite Golden Belt Galati, Romania September 25/30
September 29
Finals
56kg Michaela Walsh (Ireland) beat Lacramioara Perijoc (Romania) 3-2
60kg Kellie Harrington (Ireland) lost to Juliia Tsyplakova (Ukraine) 2-3
69kg Grainne Walsh (Ireland) beat Maria Borei (Romania) 3-2
75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) beat Onela Nane (Romania) 3-2
81kg Joe Ward (Ireland) beat Paul Aradoaie (Romania) 5-0
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) lost to Serhi Horskov (Ukraine) 0-5
September 28
S/Finals (1pm session)
52kg Conor Quinn (Ireland) lost to Galal Yafai (England) 0-5
56kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) lost to Bayan Asenov (Bulgaria) 1-4
64kg Wayne Kelly (Ireland) lost to Dmitry Galagot (Moldova) 0-5
69kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) lost to Pat McCormack (England) 0-5
81kg Joe Ward (Ireland) beat Sammy Lee (Wales) 4-1
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) beat Robert Marton (Ukraine) 4-1
91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) lost to Mihai Nistor (Romania) 1-4
September 27
S/Finals
51kg Ceire Smith (Ireland) lost to Claudia Nechita (Romania) 0-5
56kg Michaela Walsh (Ireland) beat Andeal Brankovic (Serbia) 5-0
60kg Kellie Harrington (Ireland) beat Jelena Jelic (Serbia) 5-0
75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) beat Stefania Balca (Romania) RSC1
Q/Finals
64kg Wayne Kelly (Ireland) beat Ddrian Thidn (Spain) 5-0
69kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) beat Marian Pita (Romania) 5-0
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) beat Cheavon Clarke (England) 3-2
September 26
Q/Finals
52kg Conor Quinn (Ireland) beat Virban Gabor (Hungary) 4-1
75kg Michael Nevin (Ireland) lost to Victor Corrapcevschi (Moldova) 0-5
Last 16
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) beat Gregor Skranec (Slovenia) RSC2
Irish squad
Male
52kg Conor Quinn (Clonard) (Bronze)
56kg Kurt Walker (Canal) (Bronze)
64kg Wayne Kelly (Portlaoise) (Bronze)
69kg Kieran Molloy (Oughterard) (Bronze)
75kg Michael Nevin (Portlaoise)
81kg Joe Ward (Sparticus) (Gold)
91kg Kirill Afanasev (Smithfield) (Silver)
91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Clonmel) (Bronze)
Female
51kg Ceire Smith (Cavan/Virginia) (Bronze)
57kg Michaela Walsh (Monktown) (Gold)
60kg Kellie Harrington (St Marys) (Silver)
69kg Gráinne Walsh (Sparticus) (Gold)
75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Castlerea) (Gold)
Coaches
Zauri Antia
John Conlan
Tom Murray
Team Manager
Eugene O’Kane
Physio
Séamus Caffrey
R&J
Loughlin Gannon