Terry McEntee with club coaches Fergal McKenna and Fergal Treanor
Ireland’s experienced contrasting fortunes at the European Youth Championships in Anapa, Russia today.
Monaghan’s Terry McEntee and Cork’s Oliver McCarthy advanced to Monday’s semi-finals – and guaranteed Ireland at least two bronze medals.
But Derry’s Brett McGinty and Clare’s Martin John Mongan bowed out at the quarter-final stage.
Oliver McCarthy (red) and Paddy Donovan
McEntee showcased his skills to make the last-four at the expense of Istvan Szaka. The Hungarian flyweight, to his credit, kept pouring forward until the final bell, but McEntee picked off some wonderful shots throughout this contest to seal an impressive win.
McCarthy dominated from the latter part of the first round up in his battle of the southpaws with Finland’s Asseme Nauali. The Leesider displayed top class counter-punching skills throughout the three frames and rocked the Finn at the end of the second. He’s now two wins away from adding a second gold to the gold he claimed at the European Schoolboy Championships in Anapa in 2012.
McGinty beat Gurgen Madayan in the quarter-finals in 2012, but the Armenian evened the score this afternoon in the same city. Both men went toe-to-toe for almost the entire three rounds with some big shots coming in from both sides in a very close contest, literally and on the scoring cards.
Mongan gave a typically brave display against Vladislav Muravin and clipped the Russian in his own backyard with some neat counters in at hard-hitting heavyweight duel.
McEntee and McCarthy can now enjoy a well-earned rest before Monday’s semi-finals when they’ll be looking to upgrade to at least silver versus Russia and Azerbaijan. The remaining quarter-finals will be decided tomorrow.
The finals will be held on Tuesday.
European Youth Championships Anapa, Russia
(Last 16 unless stated)
June 7th
52kg Terry McEntee (Ireland) beat Mykola Lytvyschenko (Ukraine) 3-0
56kg James McGivern (Ireland) lost to Vladimir Strygin (Russia) 1-2 (last 32)
60kg Oliver McCarthy (Ireland) beat Konrad Bialas (Poland) 3-0 (last 32)
June 8th
60kg Oliver McCarthy (Ireland) beat Narek Ogannesyan (Armenia) 3-0
64kg Jason Harty (Ireland) beat Patryk Urbanski (Poland) 3-0 (last 32)
75kg Reece Moran (Ireland) lost to Stepane Mkhitarian (Georgia) 0-3
91kg+ Martin John Mongan (Ireland) beat Alexandr Borison (Moldova) 3-0
June 9th
64kg Jason Harty (Ireland) lost to Iskekhan Madiev (Georgia) 0-3
69kg Brett McGinty (Ireland) beat Laszio Kozak (Hungary) 3-0
81kg Brian Kennedy (Ireland) lost to Sammy Lee (Wales) 0-3
91kg Martin Jim Mongan (Ireland) lost to Dzmitru Sinkin (Belarus) TKO1
June 10th
Q/Finals
52kg Terry McEntee (Ireland) beat Istvan Szaka (Hungary) 3-0
60kg Oliver McCarthy (Ireland) beat Asseme Nauali (Finland) 3-0
69kg Brett McGinty (Ireland) lost to Gurgen Madayan (Armenia) 0-3
91kg+ Martin John Mongan (Ireland) lost to Vladislav Muravin (Russia) 0-3
June 13th
S/Finals
52kg Terry McEntee (Ireland) v Nikita Diskunov (Russia)
60kg Oliver McCarthy (Ireland) v Sarhan Aliev (Azerbaijan)
Irish squad
52kg Terry McEntee (Old School) (Bronze, at least)
56kg James McGivern (St Georges)
60kg Oliver McCarthy (Brian Dillon’s) (Bronze, at least)
64kg Jason Harty (Rathkeale)
69kg Brett McGinty (Oakleaf)
75kg Reece Moran (St Pauls Waterford)
81kg Brian Kennedy (St Marys)
91kg Martin Jim Mongan (Ennis)
91kg+ Martin John Mongan (Ennis)
Team Manger: Stephen Connolly
Coaches: Billy McClean, Dmitry Dimitruk
R&J: Ben McGarrigle