Brendan Irvine (red) in action today
Ireland will be taking home at least three bronze medals from the European Championships in Kharkiv, Ukraine.
Kurt Walker, Brendan Irvine and Joe Ward all claimed last-eight wins today to advance to Friday’s semi-finals.
Walker beat Italy’s Raffaele Di Serio, who beat the Lisburn bantam in the European U/22s earlier this year, on a 3-1 split.
And Rio Olympians Brendan Irvine and Joe Ward followed that up with unanimous decisions over Spain’s Gabriel Escobar and Scotland’s Sean Lazzerini in the fly and light-heavy classes.
Ward, the current European champion and the No. 1 seed in Kharkiv, was in top form against the game but outclassed Glaswegian, Ward earning a comprehensive points win.
Sean McComb was unlucky to bow out this afternoon, the Belfast light-welter boxed tremendously but was on the wrong end of a split decision to England’s Luke McCormack.
Thursday is a rest day at the tournament. The semi-finals and finals will be decided on Friday and Saturday.
European Elite Men’s Championships Kharkiv, Ukraine June 14th/25th
June 16th
(Last 32)
64kg Sean McComb (Ireland) beat Erik Agateljan (Czech Republic) 5-0
June 17th:
Last 32
56kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) beat SeverianeChildaze (Georgia) 5-0
69kg Steven Donnelly (Ireland) lost to Sergei Sobylinski (Russia) 0-5
June 18th
Last 32
60kg Pat Mongan (Ireland) lost to Artur Bril (Germany) 0-5
75kg Emmet Brennan (Ireland) beat Bartosz Golebiewski (Poland) 3-2
June 19th
Last 16
52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) beat Bathuhan Citfci (Turkey) 5-0
60kg Sean McComb (Ireland) beat Vitaly Dunaystev (Russia) 3-2
91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) lost to Viktor Vykhryst (Ukraine) TKO2
June 20th
Last 16
56kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) beat Tayfur Aliyev (Azerbaijan) 4-1
75kg Emmet Brennan (Ireland) lost to Kamran Shakhsuvarly (Azerbaijan) 0-5
81kg Joe Ward (Ireland) beat Matus Strnisko (Slovakia) 5-0
91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) lost to Ramazazaqn Musilimov (Ukraine) 1-4
June 21st
Q/Finals
52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) beat Gabriel Escobar (Spain) 5-0
56kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) beat Raffaele Di Serio (Italy) 3-1
64kg Sean McComb (Ireland) lost to Luke McCormack (England) 2-3
81kg Joe Ward (Ireland) beat Sean Lazzerini (Scotland) 5-0
June 23rd
52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) v Dean Farrell (England) or Fabrizio Cappai (Italy)
56kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) v Mykola Butsenko (Ukraine)
81kg Joe Ward (Ireland) v Valentino Manfredonia (Italy)
Irish squad
52kg – Flyweight – Brendan Irvine (St Pauls) (Bronze, at least)
56kg – Bantamweight – Kurt Walker (Canal) (Bronze, at least)
60kg – Lightweight – Patrick Mongan (Olympic)
64kg – Light-welter – Sean McComb (Holy Trinity)
69kg – Welterweight – Steven Donnelly (All Saints)
75kg – Middleweight – Emmett Brennan (Glasnevin)
81kg – Light-heavy – Joe Ward (Moate) (Bronze, at least)
91kg – Heavyweight – Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)
91+kg – Super-heavy – Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)
High-Performance Director/Head of Delegation: Bernard Dunne
Head Coach: Zaur Antia
Coaches: Dmitry Dimitruc, Jimmy Payne, Eoin Pluck
Physio: Seamus Caffrey
Doctor: Jim Clover
Strength & Conditioning: John Cleary
Performance Analysis: Alan Swanton