On fire Yasmin Meredith, Kaci Crowley, Winnie McDonagh and Michael Faulkner sensationally delivered four goal medals for Ireland at the European Schoolboy/girl Championships in Albena, Bulgaria today after four stunning wins over Russia.
Meredith forced Arina Vostrikova into a standing count with a big right in the third to secure bantam gold an Crowley obliged Sofia Pelevina to take a count off a sweeping left, also in the third, to bag feather gold. Vostrikova also received a public warning for holding in the first round. She was verbally cautioned a number of times by the ref prior to the sanction.
McDonagh, boxing out of her proverbial skin, followed that up with a top-drawer performance in the light-welter class, the Irish champion consistently finding the target against Alina Safina en route to the top of the 63kg podium.
Dearbhla Tinnelly and Nasya McJin-Igelige, both of the Clann Naofa BC, had to settle for silver after losing to Bulgaria and Russia. Tinnelly can consider herself particularly unlucky as she out-punched Kraisimara Voykova 2 to 1 – sometimes 3 to 1 – in all three rounds but the 3-2 split went to the home athlete.
Nasya McJin-Igelige put in a massive shift and had a great second frame against Valeria Vorontosova. McJin-Igelige battled her opponent down to the final bell and finished the bout as she had started, on the front foot, but the Russian welter got the verdict.
Faulkner, the last Irish boxer in action in the 1st session, nailed a fourth gold versus Linar Valiullin. The Rebel County southpaw just couldn’t miss with his snappy backhand against the Russian champion, and his right also earned its keep in three classy rounds from the fleet-footed Leesider who ensured that Amhrán na bhFiann got its fourth rendition of the afternoon by the banks of the Black Sea.
Meanwhile, Patrick Donovan lost out to England’s Barney Smith-Ryston, the 2017 European 43kg Schoolboy champion, in a tight battle of the southpaws at 50kg. Donovan will be bringing home silver to cap a fine tournament.
Curtis Darcy and Bekkham Alimkhanov were involved in a toe-to-toe classic in the 76kg final, both men battling each other down to the final bell before the Russian got the nod on a 3-2 split. Massive edge-of-the-seat performance from Darcy.
Irish boxing secured four gold, four silver and six bronze in Albena, a record haul for Ireland at this level. The squad are due to arrive home at 10am tomorrow morning (Terminal 1) via Dublin Airport.
Irish amateur boxing is proudly sponsored by Liffey Crane.
European Schoolboy & Schoolgirl Championships Albena, Bulgaria May 21/30
Tuesday, May 29th
Finals
40kg Michael Faulkner (Ireland) beat Linar Valiullin (Russia) 5-0
50kg James Donovan (Ireland) lost to Barney Smith-Ryston (England) 0-5
54kg Yasmin Meredith (Ireland) beat Arina Vostrikova (Russia) 5-0
57kg Kaci Crowley (Ireland) beat Sofia Pelevina (Russia) 5-0
63kg Winne Christina McDonagh (Ireland) beat Alina Safina (Russia) 5-0
67kg Dearbhla Tinnelly (Ireland) lost to Kraisimara Voykova (Bulgaria) 2-3
70kg Nasya McJin-Igelige (Ireland) lost to Valeria Vorontosova (Russia) 0-5
76kg Curtis Darcy (Ireland) lost to Bekkham Alimkhanov (Russia) 2-3
May 28th
S/Finals
40kg Michael Faulkner (Ireland) beat Laslo Balogh (Hungary) 5-0
50kg James Donovan (Ireland) beat Alfredo Simone (Italy) 5-0
54kg John Fay (Ireland) lost to Matthew Knipe (England) 0-5
72kg Tyler Meade (Ireland) lost to Daniil Kolotov (Russia) 0-5
76kg Curtis Darcy (Ireland) beat Yehor Tkachenko (Ukraine) 5-0
May 26th
Q/Finals
38.5kg Martin Collins (Ireland) lost to Anton Avdienko (Russia) 0-5
40kg Michael Faulkner (Ireland) beat Olek Levchenko (Ukraine) 5-0
41.5kg William Faulkner (Ireland) lost to Bogdan Priima (Russia) 2-3
43kg Jason Nevin (Ireland) lost to Shane Patterson (England) 2-3
46kg Cale Brennan (Ireland) lost Indir Vracic (Serbia) 1-4
S/Finals
36kg Katie O’Keeffe (Ireland) lost to Renata Mingalimova (Russia) 0-5
42kg Nora Jackman (Ireland) lost to Daria Kostkinia (Russia) 0-5
45kg Robyn Kelly (Ireland) lost to Alena Tremasova (Russia) 0-5
48kg Robyn Murran (Ireland) lost to Charan Dhesi (England) 0-5
54kg Yasmin Meredith (Ireland) beat Maria Mica (Romania) RSC2
57kg Kaci Crowley (Ireland) beat Rosalia Cataldo (Italy) RSC2
63kg Winne Christina McDonagh (Ireland) beat Sunniva Hofstad (Norway) 3-2
67kg Dearbhla Tinnelly (Ireland) beat Alena Krinichnaia (Russia) 5-0
70kg Nasya McJin-Igelige (Ireland) beat Karine Araptican (Ukraine) 5-0
May 25th
Q/Finals
48kg Michael Connors (Ireland) lost to Caider Abduraimov (Ukraine) 0-5
50kg James Donovan (Ireland) beat Dzhem Demirev (Bulgaria) 5-0
54kg John Fay (Ireland) beat Mikita Harbuz (Belarus) 5-0
62kg Ryan Murphy (Ireland) lost to Mykola Serov (Ukraine) 0-5
65kg Joe Hutchinson (Ireland) lost to Irakli Janelidze (Georgia) 0-5
72kg Tyler Meade (Ireland) beat Milon Tibic (Serbia) 5-0
76kg Curtis Darcy Ireland) beat Malyas Nagyos (Romania) 4-1
80kg Patrick McDonagh (Ireland) lost to Oleg Ilchenko (Ukraine) 0-5
May 24th
Last 16
38.5kg Martin Collins (Ireland) beat Anton Salika (Belarus) 3-2
40kg Michael Faulkner (Ireland) beat Gocha Gordulava (Georgia) 5-0
44.5kg Conor Donovan (Ireland) lost to Dominik Mucska (Hungary) 2-3
68kg Feidhlim Behan (Ireland) lost to Tymofii Krupko (Ukraine) 1-4
Q/Finals
39kg Sophie Elstone (Ireland) lost to Polina Spirna (Russia) RSC2
42kg Nora Jackman (Ireland) beat Viktoria Danielova (Slovakia) 5-0
45kg Robyn Kelly (Ireland) beat Lyuba Atanasova (Bulgaria) RSC2
48kg Robyn Murran (Ireland) beat Izabella Devenyi (Hungary) 3-2
51kg Labhaoise Glynn (Ireland) lost to Francesca Falconeri (Italy) 0-5
54kg Yasmin Meredith (Ireland) beat Sophia Mazzoni (Italy) RSCI2
57kg Kaci Crowley (Ireland) beat Lucia Simulescu (Romania) 5-0
May 23rd
Last 16
41.5kg William Faulkner (Ireland) beat Georgis Georgantzas (Greece) 5-0
43kg Jason Nevin (Ireland) beat Serghei Nova (Moldova) 5-0
46kg Cale Brennan (Ireland) beat Denys Rosdolskyi (Ukraine) 4-1
52kg Brannon McMahon (Ireland) lost to Volodymyr Kamaieve (Ukraine) 0-5
54kg John Fay (Ireland) beat Dovydas Paskevicius (Lithuania) 5-0
56kg James McGuinness (Ireland) lost to Iskren Mihaylov (Bulgaria) 1-4
59kg Thomas McAleer (Ireland) lost to Savelii Suprunets (Ukraine) 0-5
Q/Final
91kg Martin McDonagh (Ireland) lost to Kyrylo Novika (Ukraine) 0-5
May 22nd
Last 16
60kg Laura Moran (Ireland) lost to Abby Briggs (England) 2-3
48kg Michael Connors (Ireland) beat Nedas Grigorianas (Lithuania) 3-2
50kg James Donovan (Ireland) beat Krisztian Balagh (Hungary) 4-0
Irish squad
Boys
38.5kg Martin Collins (Drimnagh)
40kg Michael Faulkner (Northside) (Gold)
41.5kg William Faulkner (Rathkeale)
43kg Jason Nevin (Olympic Mullingar)
44.5kg Conor Donovan (Clonmel)
46kg Cale Brennan (St Michaels Athy) Cpt
48kg Michael Connors (St Marys Dublin)
50kg James Donovan (O.L.O.L.) (Silver)
52kg Brannon McMahon (Carrickmore)
54kg John Fay (Swords) (Bronze)
56kg James McGuinness (St Monicas)
59kg Thomas McAleer (Swords)
62kg Ryan Murphy (Neilstown)
65kg Joe Hutchinson (Neilstown)
68kg Feidhlim Behan (Kilcullen)
72kg Tyler Meade (Kilnamanagh) (Bronze)
76kg Curtis Darcy (Callan) (Silver)
80kg Patrick McDonagh (St Josephs)
Girls
36kg Katie O’Keeffe (Kanturk) (Bronze)
39kg Sophia Elstone (Ardnaree)
42kg Nora Jackman (Paulstown) (Bronze)
45kg Robyn Kelly (Ballynacargy) Cpt (Bronze)
48kg Robyn Murran (St Brigids Kildare) (Bronze)
51kg Labhaoise Glynn (Cloghan)
54kg Yasmin Meredith (Glasnevin) (Gold)
57kg Kaci Crowley (Erne) (Gold)
60kg Laura Moran (St Annes)
63kg Winne Christina McDonagh (Neilstown) (Gold)
67kg Dearbhla Tinnelly (Clann Naofa) (Silver)
70kg Nasya McJin-Igelige (Clann Naofa) (Silver)
IABA President: Dominic O’Rourke
Team Managers: Martin Fennessey and Jennifer O’Sullivan
Coaches: Liam Brereton, Jim O’Neill, Eva Carr, John Gallagher, Tom Hayes
R&J: Brian Wallace