The Irish Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) are delighted to confirm that Steven Donnelly has achieved a quota place for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

Pat Ryan and Fergal Carruth, President and CEO of the IABA, confirmed this morning that they had been notified by the Olympic Council of Ireland that Donnelly has earned a quota place for the 31st Olympiad.

Pat Ryan said: “We are absolutely delighted for Steven and for his club. Steven performed magnificently last season and he won his place on merit. Congratulations to him and all involved.”

Fergal Carruth said: “We have received confirmation that Steven has been offered a quota place for the Olympic Games in Rio. This is fantastic news for our sport and congratulations to Steven and his club.”

Donnelly, an ex Irish Elite champion, qualified through the World Series of Boxing (WSB). The All Saints BC (Ballymena) welterweight won five of his six outings for the Hussars of Poland in the WSB last season and finished in the top two in the 69kg WSB class.

Four Irish boxers – World Elite champion Michael Conlan, Paddy Barnes, Joe Ward and Donnelly – have earned Olympic quota places in the bantam, light-fly, light-heavy and welter classes.

Barnes and Donnelly qualified through the WSB and Conlan and Ward through AIBA Open Boxing (AOB), although Conlan also qualified through the WSB and has the distinction of qualifying for the same Olympics twice.

Nine further Olympic places – six for men, three for women – will be up for grabs for Irish boxing at the various AOB, WSB and AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) qualifiers in 2016.

 

 

Three-time Olympian Paddy Barnes was snapped up by the Hussars of Poland in the World Series of Boxing (WSB) foreign boxers draft in Lausanne, Switzerland today.

London 2012 Olympian Darren O’Neill, Steven Donnelly and Dean Dardiner were also selected.

O’Neill was selected by the Caciques of Venezuela and Gardiner by the Puerto Rico Hurricanes.

Donnelly joins Barnes with the Polish side, who he recorded five wins for last season.

Barnes chalked up seven wins from seven last term for Italia Thunder to top the WSB 49kg table and qualify for his third successive Olympics

The new WSB season begins in January. Click here for today’s draft.

 

 
Irish WSB Foreign Boxers Draft

91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Puerto Rico Hurricanes)
91kg Darren O’Neill (Venezuela Caciques)
75kg Steven Donnelly (Hussars Poland)
49kg Paddy Barnes (Hussars Poland)

 

(Please note revision for 52kg semi-final on Friday)

 

Adam Nolan and Darren O’Neill are back between the ropes at the National Elite Championships at the National Stadium this Friday night in Dublin.

The London 2012 Olympians meet Michael Bustard and Damien Sullivan in the 69kg and 91kg semi-finals at the home of Irish boxing.

Friday’s card also features brothers David Oliver Joyce and Hugh Joyce, both of the St Michael’s Athy BC, meeting in the lightweight semi-final.

“The only prediction we will make is that there will be a St Michael’s Athy boxer in the 60kg final,” said club coach Dominic O’Rourke, a former IABA President.

One quarter-final is to be decided on Friday, with Fearghus Quinn facing John Joyce.

Joyce and Willie Donoghue, who both claimed bronze at the European Youths in Poland last weekend, are making their Elite debuts this weekend.

Donoghue, an ex World Junior champion, faces European Games silver medallist Brendan Irvine.

The Championships continue on Saturday, with AIBA World No. 3 ranked middleweight, European Games champion and World Elite bronze medallist Michael O’Reilly between the ropes.

Boxing begins at 7.30pm on Friday and Saturday.

Friday’s and Saturday’s weigh-ins – 8am and 9am and 12pm and 1pm on both days. Tickets are now on sale here

The Elite Men’s Championships is proudly sponsored by the Irish Daily Star.

 

 

 

National Elite Championships (2) 2015

 

December 4th (7.30pm)

Q/Final
75kg Fearghus Quinn (Camlough) V John Joyce (St Michaels Athy)

S/Finals

49kg Regan Buckley (St Teresas) V Darryl Moran (Illies GG)
52kg TJ Waite (Ormeau Road) V Jason McKay (St Pauls Antrim)
56kg Kurt Walker (Canal) V Colin O’Donovan (Togher)
60kg David Oliver Joyce (St Michaels Athy)V Hugh Joyce (St Michaels Athy)
64kg Dean Walsh (St Josephs/Ibars) V James Cleary (Olympic)
69kg Adam Nolan (Bray) V Michael Bustard (Monkstown Antrim)
81kg Christopher Blaney (Navan) V Sean McGlinchey (Oakleaf)
91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown) V Stephen McMonagle (Holy Trinity)
91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel) V Damien Sullivan (Emerald Antrim)

December 5th

S/Finals (7.30pm)

52kg Brendan Irvine (St Pauls Antrim) V William Donohue (St Michaels Athy)
56kg Jason Kirwan (Ballagh) V Myley Casey (St Francis)
60kg George Bates (St Marys Dublin) V Sean McComb (Holy Trinity)
64kg Wayne Kelly (Athlone) V Ray Moylette (St Annes)
69kg Caoimhin Hynes (Holy Trinity) V Martin Stokes (Holy Family Drogheda)
75kg Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise) V Winner
75kg Conor Wallace (St Monicas Newry) V Eddie Byrne (Na Fianna)
81kg John Paul Delaney (Emerald A) V Sean Allen (Arklow)
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Smithfield) V Bernie O’Reilly (Portlaoise)
91+kg Thomas Carty (Glasnevin) V Constantin Popivicu (Johnstown)

 

Results so far

November 28th

Q/Finals

52kg Jason McKay (St Pauls Antrim) beat Adam Courtney (St Marys Dublin) TKOI2
75kg Conor Wallace (St Monicas Newry) beat Connor Coyle (St Josephs Derry) 3-0
75kg Eddie Byrne (Na Fianna) beat Glory Lmuala Carlos (Maynooth) 3-0
81kg Sean McGlinchey (Oakleaf) W/O
81kg John Paul Delaney (Emerald Antrim) beat Matthew Tinker (St Francis) 2-1
91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown) beat Stephen Lawrence (Holy Family Drogheda) 3-0
91kg Stephen McMonagle (Holy Trinity) beat Ciaran Griffin (Celtic Eagles) 3-0
91kg Kiril Afansev (Smithfield) beat Christy Joyce (St Michaels Athy) 3-0
91kg Bernie O’Reilly (Portlaoise) beat Kenneth Okungbowa (Athlone) 2-1

Men

November 21st

Q/Finals (7pm)

60kg David Oliver Joyce (St Michael’s Athy) beat Gary Cully (St Davids) 2-1
60kg Hughie Joyce (St Michael’s Athy) beat Anthony O’Rawe (Braid) 3-0
60kg George Bates (St Marys) beat Gary McKenna (Old School) 3-0
60kg Sean McComb (Holy Trinity) beat Tiernan Bradley (Sacred Heart) 3-0
64kg Dean Walsh (St Ibars) beat Benaldo Marime (Holy Trinity) 3-0
64kg James Cleary (Olympic) beat Keith Flavin (Paulstown) 2-1
64kg Wayne Kelly (Ballynacargy) beat Gerard Matthews (St Pauls) 3-0
64kg Ray Moylette (St Annes) beat Patrick Lenihan (St Marys) 3-0
69kg Michael Bustard (Monkstown) beat Fergal Redmond (Arklow) TKOI3
69kg Caoimhin Hynes (Holy Trinity) beat Conor Doherty (Holy Trinity) 3-0

Women

November 27th

Finals
48kg Lauren Hogan (St Brigids Edenderry) beat Donna Barr (Twin Towns) 2-1
51kg Michaela Walsh (Holy Family GG) beat Ceire Smith (Cavan) 3-0
54kg Dervla Duffy (St Brigids Kildare) beat Elaine Harrison (Ardnaree) 2-0
57kg Moira McElligott (St Michael’s Athy) beat Joanne Lambe (Carrickmacross) 2-1
60kg Katie Taylor (Bray) beat Shauna O’Keeffe (Clonmel) 3-0
64kg Kelly Harrington (Glasnevin) beat Cheyanne O’Neill (Athlone) 3-0
69kg Clare Grace (Callan) beat Grainne Walsh (Sparticus) 3-0
75kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgans) W/O
81+kg Diana Campbell (Garda) beat Maeve McCarron (Carrigart) 3-0

November 20th

S/Finals (7.30pm)
48kg Donna Barr (Twin Towns) beat Alexandra Kornaga (Carrickmacross) 3-0
54kg Elaine Harrison (Ardnaree) beat Jade Corcoran (Crumlin) 3-0
60kg Shauna O’Keeffe (Clonmel) beat Kayleigh Murrihy-McCormack (Kilfenora) 3-0
64kg Cheyanne O’Neill (Athlone) beat Shanice Just (Arklow) 3-0
69kg Grainne Walsh (Sparticus) W/O

 

 

 

Ireland’s Elite boxers have their names in the hat for the Foreign Boxers World Series of Boxing draft in Lausanne, Switzerland today, December 1st.

The draft is being held at the Maison du Sport, in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Ireland’s six current Elite champions available for selection include Brendan Irvine, Sean McComb, Myles Casey, Dean Gardiner and London 2012 Olympians Adam Nolan and Darren O’Neill.

World Elite champion Michael Conlan, Two-time Olympic bronze medallist Barnes, who qualified for Rio 2016 through the WSB last season, has also put his name forward, along with Sean McGlinchey and Steven Donnelly.

There will be a number of Olympic qualifiers from WSB boxers next year.

Conlan, Gardiner, Nolan, Donnelly and Barnes competed in the WSB last season.

WSB teams are required to have a percentage of international athletes on their squads. Ireland’s boxers have competed in every season of the WSB since its launch in 2010.

 

 

Michael Conlan is in the running to win the Irish Independent Sports Star of the Year Award.

The Belfast bantam claimed World and European Elite gold this year and currently occupies the No. 1 position in the AIBA World 56kg rankings.

Conlan, Katie Taylor, Joe Ward and Michael O’Reilly have already won the Irish Independent Sportstar of the Week Award this year after claiming World, European and European Games gold.

Conlan has the distinction of winning the weekly Indo accolade twice.

See today’s Irish Independent newspaper for details on how to vote for the Irish Independent Sportstar of 2015.