Irish boxing will be taking home at least four bronze medals from the European Junior Championships after a day of contrasting fortunes in Galati, Romania.
Robyn Kelly, Michael Donoghue, Martin McCullough and Winnie McDonagh won their quarter-finals today and are each assured of a podium finish.
Kelly and Donghue got the ball rolling with superb performances against Turkey’s Gamze Soguksu and Azerbaijan’s Said Abdullayev in the opening session.
McDonagh and McCullough followed that up with a brace of decisions over Finland’s Lia Pukkila and Estonian feather Matvei Starikov in the 2nd session in Galati.
Irish male captain Eoghan Lavin, Nicole O’Sullivan, who was edged out 3-2 versus Romania, Shauna Doherty and Margaret Stokes bowed out at the last eight stage to Russia, Romania and the Ukraine in close bouts.
Dom O’Rourke, President of the IABA, hailed the performances of Ireland’s young boxers after the fourth day of competition.
“They were very good, exceptional, Robyn, Michael, Winnie and Martin. Young O’Sullivan put in some performance as did Eoghan, Shauna and Margret. They gave it everything,” he said.
Ireland will be back in the hunt for medals again tomorrow with eight in quarter-final action in Romania.
Click here for today’s classified results and Tuesday’s program.
European Male and Female Junior Championships Galati, Romania, May 22/June 2
May 27
Q/Finals
48kg Robyn Kelly (Ireland) beat Gamze Soguksu (Turkey) 5-0
48kg Michael Donoghue (Ireland) beat Said Abdullayev (Azerbaijan) 5-0
63kg Winnie McDonagh (Ireland) beat Lia Pukkila (Finland) 5-0
57kg Martin McCullough (Ireland) beat Matvei Starikov (Estonia) 5-0
57kg Nicole O’Sullivan (Ireland) lost to Cristina Ciobanu (Romania) 1-4
70kg Shauna Doherty (Ireland) lost to Melania Moldovan (Romania) 2-3
70kg Eoghan Lavin (Ireland) lost to Mikhail Usov (Russia) 0-5
80kg Margaret Stokes (Ireland) lost to Natalia Hodyk (Ukraine) 1-4
May 26
Last 16
46kg Dylan Eagleson (Ireland) beat Rafael Lozano (Spain) 5-0
48kg Michael Donoghue (Ireland) beat James Sweeney (Scotland) 5-0
52kg Donagh Keary (Ireland) lost to Asad Aghayev (Azerbaijan) 0-5
60kg Michael McCarthy (Ireland) beat Giorgi Zhorzhaliani (Georgia) 3-2
66kg Taylor Guiney (Ireland) beat Andrei Mustet (Turkey) 5-0
70kg Eoghan Lavin (Ireland) beat Alperen Terzi (Turkey) 4-1
May 25
Last 16
52kg Rachael Lawless (Ireland) lost to Sophia Mazzoni (Italy) 0-5
54kg Aaliyah Butler (Ireland) beat Ellie Taylor (Wales) 5-0
57kg Martin McCullough (Ireland) beat Ares Hakoyban (Armenia) 4-0
63kg Winnie McDonagh (Ireland) beat Ceren Tuncer (Turkey) 5-0
75kg Mark Duffy (Ireland) beat Lucian Miltitelu (Romania) 5-0
Last 32
54kg Mustafa Edris (Ireland) lost to Royston Smith-Barney (England) 1-4
May 24
Prelims Last 16/32
1st session
48kg Michael Donoghue (Ireland) beat Zoltan Cservak (Hungary) 5-0
48kg Robyn Kelly (Ireland) beat Iryna Melnyk (Ukraine) 5-0
66kg Taylor Guiney (Ireland) beat Orhan Mehmet (Turkey) 5-0
66kg Tiegan Farrell (Ireland) beat Petra Kovacs (Hungary) 5-0
80+kg Thomas McDonnell (Ireland) lost to Dzmitry Barysav (Belarus) 1-4
50kg Jason Nevin (Ireland) lost to Saba Tkebuchave (Georgia) 1-4
57kg Martin McCullough (Ireland) beat Kevin Bohm (Sweden) 5-0
60kg Shelby Myres (Ireland) lost to Maryna Muliarchk (Belarus) 2-3
63kg Thomas King (Ireland) lost to Niv Rahamin (Israel) 1-4
80kg James Ward (Ireland) lost to Jack Turnbull (England) 2-3
May 28
Q/Finals
46kg Breda Quilligan (Ireland) v Fanni Kovacs Hungary
46kg Dylan Eagleson (Ireland) v Timur Khalilov (Russia)
50kg Marie Marine-Gabriel (Ireland) v Veronika Zajicova (Czech Republic)
54kg Aaliyah Butler (Ireland) v Antoneia Alecu (Romania)
60kg Michael McCarthy (Ireland) v Magomed Mamaev (Russia)
66kg Tiegan Farrell (Ireland) v Radmyla Rodinova (Ukraine)
75kg Dearbhla Tinnelly (Ireland) v Nur Kocaoglu (Turkey)
75kg Mark Duffy (Ireland) v Vinny Huczmann (England)
May 30
S/Finals
48kg Robyn Kelly (Ireland) v Anastasia Kirienko (Russia)
63kg Winnie McDonagh (Ireland) v Romania or Germany
May 31
S/Finals
48kg Michael Donoghue (Ireland) v Boris Eroshkin (Russia)
57kg Martin McCullough (Ireland) v Russia or England
Irish squad
Female
46kg Breda Quilligan (Rathkeale)
48kg Robyn Kelly (Ballynacargy) (Bronze, at least)
50kg Marie Marine-Gabriel (Mulhuddart)
52kg Rachael Lawless (Portlaoise) Cpt
54kg Aaliyah Butler (Monivea)
57kg Nicole O’Sullivan (Corinthians)
60kg Shelby Myres (Crumlin)
63kg Winnie McDonagh (Neilstown) (Bronze, at least)
66kg Tiegan Farrell (Arklow)
70kg Shauna Doherty (Sacred Heart, Dublin)
75kg Dearbhla Tinnelly (Clann Naofa)
80kg Margaret Stokes (Callan)
Male
46kg Dylan Eagleson (St Pauls, Antrim)
48kg Michael Donoghue (St Michaels Athy) (Bronze, at least)
50kg Jason Nevin (Olympic Mullingar)
52kg Donagh Keary (Rathfriland)
54kg Mustafa Edris (Monkstown, Dublin)
57kg Martin McCullough (Gleann) (Bronze, at least)
60kg Michael McCarthy (Mayfield)
63kg Thomas King (Ratoath)
66kg Taylor Guiney (Drimngh)
70kg Eoghan Lavin (Ballyhaunis) Cpt
75kg Mark Duffy (Charlestown)
80kg John Ward (Brosna)
80+kg Thomas McDonnell (Docklands)
IABA President: Dominic O’Rourke
Team managers: Eugene O’Kane Snr and Anne Murphy
Coaches: Billy McClean, James Doyle, Gerard McDaid, John Gallagher, Aoife Hennigan
R&J: Loughlin Gannon