Francis Maughan
Francis Maughan and William Hayden guaranteed Ireland at least two bronze medals at the 14th edition of the European Schoolboy Championships in Croatia.
Dublin bantamweight Maughan beat Olekski Dentsenkov of the Ukraine on a split decision after a close encounter in Zagreb this evening.
Maughan held his composure in the face of Dentsenkov’s high-intensity approach, the Irish champion picking off his shots en route to claiming Ireland’s 71st medal at this level since the inaugural European Schoolboys in Rome in 2003.
He’ll now meet Croatia’s Matej Hlaca on Saturday looking to upgrade to at least silver. The finals will be decided on Sunday.
Hayden, the last Irish boxer between the ropes on Day 4 of the tournamnet, was giving away a bit of height to Nazar Karaka of Belarus, but he wasn’t giving away a bit of heart.
William Hayden and his dad Paul after today’s win
The Crumlin BC ace ran away with this contest to make it medal number 72 for his country after detonating a number massive shots to force his overwhelmed opponent into one standing count in the first and two counts in the second before the ref halted proceedings.
Paddy Myers, Jerome Lonergan-Gartland, Eoghan Quinn and Thomas Doherty bowed out at the last-eight stage today despite big performances.
Myers was beaten on a split decision by Bulgaria’s Anton Georsiev. The Sligo teen, switching occasionally from southpaw to orthodox and back, found the target with the majority of cleaner shots, particularly with his left.
Myers finished with three punches, one right hook and two lefts in the final five seconds of the context, but the durable Bulgarian got the nod following three tight frames.
Earlier, Lonergan-Gartland lost out in his bid for at least bronze.
The Tipperary prospect was beaten by Russia’s Kiril Kladovikov in the quarter-finals in Zagreb.
The 3-0 scoreline might suggest a one-sided contest but it was anything but. Lonergan Gartland sent the Russians gum shield flying with one shot and the referee assumed it was the Irish man’s as his had fallen out twice in the first.
Jerome Lonergan-Gartland is congratulated by the Russian head coach after today’s performance
The effort and display shown by the Clonmel B.C boxer was acknowledged by the Russian who lifted the Irish man up after the decision was announced and sportingly held down the ropes to allow Gartland exit the ring showing his total respect for him.
Meanwhile, Quinn, aiming for his third victory inside a week,was beaten on a unanimous decision by Scotland’s Cameron Whyte in a fiery 44.5kg battle. Both teens have their moments throughout a close and up-tempo three-rounder.
Young Dohery can consider himself very unlucky not to be in the semi-finals. The Dublin middleweight dominated against Vasily Kaverin and won at least two of the three rounds, with the third being very close. But the judges opted for the Russia fighter.
Cain Lewis, Jonathan Hughes, Patrick Collins, Jason Irwin, Jason Myers and Jamie Edwards are in quarter-final action tomorrow.
Please scroll down for draws and results so far.
European Schoolboy Championships Zagreb, Croatia
July 24th
Preliminaries (last 32)
44.5kg Eoghan Quinn (Ireland) beat Kros Ermas (Bosnia & Herzegovina) 3-0
46kg Steve Cairns (Ireland) beat Severin Yordanov (Bulgaria) 3-0
July 25th
38.5KG Jerome Lonergan-Gartland (Ireland) beat Krasimer Dzhurov (Bulgaria) 2-1
44.5KG Eoghan Quinn (Ireland) beat Matteo Ferraro (Italy) 3-0
40KG Thomas Donovan (Ireland) lost to Ignas Liaudanskis (Lithuania) 1-2
46KG Steve Cairns (Ireland) lost to Maksim Demenenko (Russia) 0-3
50KG Shane O’Gorman (Ireland) lost to Nermin Ajetovic (Serbia) 0-3
July 26th – last 16
41.5KG Ger McDonagh (Ireland) lost to Mikail Harmanci (Denmark) 0-3
52KG Paddy Myers (Ireland) beat Shilov Aleksander (Russia) 3-0
54KG Francis Maughan (Ireland) beat Rakitin Ilya (Russia) 2-1
59KG Jason Irwin (Ireland) beat Gramos Berisha (Kosova) 3-0
62KG Matthew Tyndall (Ireland) lost to Kofan Maksym (Ukraine) 1-2
76+KG John Sweeney (Ireland) lost to Timur Avdoian (Russia) 0-3
July 27th Q/Finals
1pm session (Irish time)
38.5KG Jerome Lonergan-Gartland (Ireland) lost to Kiril Kladovikov (Russia) 0-3
44.5KG Eoghan Quinn (Ireland) lost to Cameron Whyte (Scotland) 0-3
52KG Paddy Myers (Ireland) lost to Anton Georsiev (Bulgaria) 1-2
76KG Thomas Doherty (Ireland) lost Vasily Kaverin (Russia) 0-3
5pm session
54KG Francis Maughan (Ireland) beat Olekski Dentsenkov (Ukraine) 2-1
65KG William Hayden (Ireland) beat Nazar Karaka (Belarus) TKO2
July 28th Q/Finals
48KG Cain Lewis (Ireland) v Daniel Salerno (Italy)
43KG Jonathan Hughes (Ireland) v Maksym Havryliuk (Ukraine)
56KG Patrick Collins (Ireland) v Giuseppe Recuberoi (Italy)
59KG Jason Irwin (Ireland) v Ageev Nikitin (Russia)
68KG Jason Myers v Valentin Laurentiu (Romania)
72KG Jamie Edwards v Andrei Voevodin (Russia)
July 30th S/Finals
54kg Francis Maughan (Ireland) v Matej Hlaca (Croatia)
65kg William Hayden (Ireland) v Viktor Kashin (Russia)
Irish squad
38.5KG Jerome Lonergan Gartland (Clonmel)
40KG Thomas Donovan (Olympic)
41.5KG Gerard McDonagh (Glen) cpt
43KG Jonathon Hughes (Jobstown)
44.5KG Eoghan Quinn (St.Johns Derry)
46KG Steven Cairns (Loughmahon)
48KG Cian Lewis (Ballymun)
50KG Shane O’Gorman (St.Malachys)
52KG Paddy Myers (Sligo City)
54KG Francis Maughan (St.Marys Dublin) (Bronze, at least)
56KG Patrick Collins (Baldoyle)
59KG Jason Irwin (Castleblaney)
62KG Matthew Tyndall (Monkstown Dublin)
65KG William Hayden (Crumlin) (Bronze, at least)
68KG Jason Myers (Titans)
72KG Jamie Edwards (Crumlin)
76KG Thomas Doherty (Baldoyle)
76+KG John Sweeney (Ennis)
Team Manager: Paddy Gallagher (Maynooth)
Coaches: Igor Khmil (Smithfield), JP Kinsella (Monkstown),Eoin Pluck (Arklow), Brian Barry (Riverstown) R&J: Martin Fennessy (Clonmel)