Ireland will be taking home at least five bronze medals from the Chemistry Cup in Germany.
George Bates, Kieran Molloy, Kiril Afanasev and European gold medallist Joe Ward joined Conor Quinn in Friday’s semi-finals after recording last-eight wins today in Halle.
Bates and Molloy impressively beat Canada’s Lucas Bandi and Slovak welter Thomas Zold.
Bates’ fight was stopped in the first round because of an injury to his opponent and when it went back to the cards the Dublin lightweight was declared the winner.
Ward, a two-time Chemistry Cup light heavy champion, saw off the challenge of Russian World Elite bronze medallist Pavil Silygan, who he beat in the 2014 Chemistry Cup quarter-final, on a 4-1 split.
The Irish captain will now meet Olympic champion Julio La Cruz in a repeat of the last two World Elite finals which the Cuban won.
Wayne Kelly was edged on a 3-2 split decision to Germany’s Kastriot Sopa earlier today and Commonwealth finalist Kurt Walker lost on a 4-1 split to Russia’s Vasilii Vetkin who claimed European Youth gold at the IABA hosted European Youths at the CityWest Hotel in Dublin in 2011.
Clonmel super-heavy Dean Gardiner lost his bid to reach the last-four versus Cuba’s London 2012 Olympian Angel Gomez-Larduet in the third last bout on tonight’s card.
Head coach Zaur Antia and coaches Michael Carruth, Philip Keogh and Paul Thompson are working Ireland’s corner in Halle.
Images: Joe Ward and George Bates, courtesy of Tibor (AIBA)
45th Men’s Chemistry Cup Halle, Germany June 19/24
June 20th
Last 16
64kg Wayne Kelly (Ireland) beat Artur Badalian (Ukraine) 5-0
75kg Michael Nevin (Ireland) lost to Vikas Krishan (India) 0-5
60kg George Bates (Ireland) beat Artur Bril (Germany) 4-1
69kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) beat Richard Meinecke (Germany) 5-0
56kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) beat Omar El Hag (Germany) 4-1
Q/Final
52kg Conor Quinn (Ireland) beat Umar Bajwa (Germany) 5-0
June 21st
Q/Finals
56kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) lost to Vasilii Vetkin (Russia) 1-4
60kg George Bates (Ireland) beat Lucas Bandi (Canada) 4-1
64kg Wayne Kelly (Ireland) lost to Kastriot Sopa (Germany) 2-3
69kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) beat Thomas Zold (Slovakia) 5-0
81kg Joe Ward (Ireland) beat Pavil Silygan (Russia) 4-1
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) beat Lucian Kohne (Germany) 5-0
91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) lost to Angel Gomez-Larduet (Cuba) 0-5
June 22
S/Final
52kg Conor Quinn (Ireland) v Salanki Gaurov (India)
60kg George Bates (Ireland) v Jorge Estrada-Alvarez (Cuba)
69kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) v Iglesias Sotolongo (Cuba)
81kg Joe Ward (Ireland) v Julio La Cruz (Cuba)
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) v David Michalek (Slovakia)
Irish Squad
52kg Conor Quinn (Clonard) (Bronze, at least)
56kg Kurt Walker (Canal)
60kg George Bates (St Marys) (Bronze, at least)
64kg Wayne Kelly (Portlaoise)
69kg Kieran Molloy (Oughterard) (Bronze, at least)
75kg Michael Nevin (Portlaoise)
81kg Joe Ward (Sparticus) (Bronze, at least)
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Smithfield) (Bronze,at least)
91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)
Head coach: Zaur Antia
Coahes: Michael Carruth, Philip Keogh, Paul Thompson