Dean Gardiner
Michael O’Reilly and Dean Gardiner will be in action in the early session in Saturday’s finals at the World Olympic qualifiers in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Click here for schedule.
Boxing begins at 10am in the morning in the Azeri capital.
O’Reilly, who qualified for Rio 2016 in Baku, will be looking to cap an excellent tournament versus Turkmenistan’s Arslan Achilov.
Michael O’Reilly after winning gold at European Games in Baku last year – he’ll be aiming for a Baku double tomorrow
O’Reilly beat Iraq’s Waheed Abdulridha Waheed earlier today to set up the 75kg decider with Achilov.
Gardiner ousted Moldova’s Alexei Zavatin to set up his super-heavyweight final with Italy’s Guido Vianello with a Rio 2016 place on the line.
Super-heavyweights must win gold in Baku as there is just one Olympic place available for the big men.
Team Ireland are due to arrive home on Sunday morning via Dublin Airport at 9.50am. Flight TK 1975 via Istanbul (Terminal 1).
Irish Draw Baku Olympic qualifiers
June 18th
(Last 32)
91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) beat Mustafa El Molla (Sweden) 3-0
June 19th
(Last 32)
64kg Dean Walsh (Ireland) lost to Smetov Ismetov (Bulgaria) 0-3
(Last 16)
91kg+ Dean Gardiner beat Satish Kumar (India) 2-1
June 20th
75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) beat Vitalia Bandarenka (Belarus) 3-0 (last 32)
91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) lost to Wesley Apochi (Nigeria) 0-3 (last 16)
June 21st
Last 16
75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) beat Shinebayor Narmandakh (Mongolia) 3-0
Q/Finals
91+kg Dean Gardiner (Ireland) beat Viktor Vychryst (Ukraine) 3-0
July 23rd
Q/Finals
75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) beat Kamran Shakhsuvarly (Azerbaijan) 3-0
June 24th
S/Finals
75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) beat Waheed Abdulridha Waheed (Iraq) 3-0
91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) beat Alexei Zavatin (Moldova) 3-0
June 25th
Finals
75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) v Arslan Achilov (Turkmenistan)
91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) v Guido Vianello (Italy)
Irish Squad
64kg (Light-welter) Dean Walsh (St Josephs/St Ibars)
75kg (Middleweight) Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise) (Qualified for Rio 2016 and at least a silver medal)
91kg (Heavyweight) Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)
91kg + (Super-heavy) Dean Gardiner (Clonmel) (Silver, at least).
Team manager Joe Hennigan
Coaches: Zaur Antia and Eddie Bolger
Performance Analyst Alan Swanton
Sports Psychologist: Gerry Hussey