IRELAND TEAM FOR WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS

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The Irish Athletic Boxing Association have confirmed a nine-strong squad for November’s AIBA World Youth Championships in St Petersburg, Russia.

Munster duo Eamer Coughlan and Patrick Donovan, both silver medallists at the 2015 AIBA World Junior Championships in St Petersburg, will wear the Irish bantam and lightweight vests and  ex European Youth, Junior and Schoolboy champion Michael Nevin lines out at middleweight.

Jordan Moore, Conor Quinn, Gabriel Dossen, Brett McGinty, Christopher O’Reilly and Kevin Sheehy are also included in the panel ahead of the opening bell for the tournament on November 17th.

The squad are training in Dublin this week and begin a training camp with England, Scotland and an Ulster selection at the University of Ulster in Jordanstown on October 19th.

A final training camp with Russia and Cuba is lined up for Moscow from November 3rd/13th before the team travel by train from the Russian capital to St Petersburg on November 14th.

Eamer Coughlan on the podium at 2016 World Juniors in St Petersburg

Eamer Coughlan on the podium at 2016 World Juniors in St Petersburg

“It’s going to be tough. You know yourself that Russia and Cuba will be aiming to finish amongst the medals in St Petersburg, but our boys will get excellent sparring and training with these two world class nations, said Irish coach Billy McClean.

“I don’t think you can get any better than the training camps we have designed for our boys in Dublin, Belfast and Moscow in the lead up to the start of the World Youth Championships.”

The Irish squad all secured titles at August’s U/18 Championships at Dublin’s National Stadium, a tournament which the IABA used as part of their selection process for the World Youths.

Stephen Connolly is Irish team manager for St Petersburg and Billy McClean and John Conlan will be working Ireland’s corner in Russia’s second largest city.

Irish boxing, meanwhile, has secured 13 medals at the World Youths, which were formerly called the World Junior Championships before being reclassified in 2008.

2016 AIBA World Youth Champions St Petersburg, Russia November 17/26

Irish squad

49kg Jordan Moore (Glasnevin)

52kg Conor Quinn (Clonard)
56kg Eamer Coughlan (Riverstown)
60kg Patrick Donovan (OLOL)
64kg Gabriel Dossen (Olympic)
69kg Brett McGinty (Oakleaf)
75kg Michael Nevin (Portlaoise)
81kg Christopher O’Reilly (Bracken)

91+kg Kevin Sheehy (St Francis)

Team manager: Steven Connolly

Coaches: Billy McClean and John Conlan