COUGHLAN INTO LAST-FOUR ON PERFECT DAY FOR IRISH IN RUSSIA

Eamer Couchlan, Aaron McKenna and Paddy Donovna in Anapa

Eamer Couchlan, Aaron McKenna and Paddy Donovan in Anapa

Cork lightweight Eamer Coughlan is guaranteed at least bronze at the Pavlyukov Youth Memorial after a perfect day for Team Ireland in Anapa, Russia.

Coughlan, Irish captain Aaron McKenna, and Paddy Donovan won this morning to complete a Black Sea hat-trick.

Coughlan, a World Junior silver medallist who is becoming involved in more thrillers than Jamie Conlan, beat Georgia’s tough European Youth silver medallist Otari Naveriani, who also wasn’t shy about coming forward, in an all out 60kg war of attrition to book his ticket into the last-four.

And McKenna forced Estonia’s Pavel Kamgnin into two standing counts en route to a comprehensive win.

Donovan, also a World Junior silver medallist, showed his class to take all five judges with him on his way to Friday’s quarter-finals.Coughlan will be back in action in the last-four on Saturday versus Russia’s Nikita Piskunov, the current European Youth fly champion, while Gabriel Dossen, Tommy Hyde, McKenna and Donovan are between the ropes on St Patrick’s Day.

Irish coaches Billy McClean and Fergal McKenna hailed all three performances today.

Pavlyukov Youth Memorial Anapa, Russia March 15th/20th

March 15th

Last 16

69kg Gabriel Dossen (Ireland) beat Ivan Stupen (Russia) 3-2

69kg Jason Harty (Ireland) lost to Aldivr Turnsinay (Kazakhstan) 0-5

March 16th

Last 16

64kg: Aaron McKenna (Ireland) beat Pavel Kamgnin (Estonia) 5-0
64kg: Patrick Donovan (Ireland) beat Denik Nikogosyan (Armenia) 5-0
Q/Final

60kg: Eamer Coughlan (Ireland) beat OtarI Naveriani (Georgia) 3-2

March 17th

Q/Finals
69kg: Gabriel Dossen (Ireland) v Toni Galstyan (Armenia)
64kg: Aaron McKenna (Ireland) v Tyler Jolly (Scotland)
64kg: Patrick Donovan (Ireland) v Rashid Yangaziev (Russia)
75kg: Tommy Hyde (Ireland) v Aleksei Alferor (Belarus)

March 18th

S/Final

60kg: Eamer Coughlan (Ireland) v Nikita Piskunov (Russia)

Irish Squad

60kg Eamer Coughlan (Riverstown) (Bronze, at least)
64kg Patrick Donovan (OLOL)
64kg Aaron McKenna (Old School)
69kg Gabriel Dossen (Olympic)
69kg Jason Harty (Rathkeale)

75kg Tommy Hyde (Setanta)

Team manager: Robbie Redmond

Coaches: Billy McClean and Fergal McKenna
R&J: Martin O’Neill