Steve Cairns and Matthew Tyndall meet in what could be the bout of the weekend in the opening session of the National U/18 Championships at the National Stadium on Friday evening.
Both athletes go head-to-head at 64kg for a place in the last four, with Patrick Donovan and James McDonagh and David Nevin and Sean Roche clashing in the other light-welterweight deciders
Tyndall, an eight-time Irish champion, knows Cairns, a seven-time Irish titlist and European medallist, well and anticipates a cracking Dublin versus Cork showdown.
“I’m looking forward to this one. I have trained very hard for this Championships. Myself and Steven know each other very well and it should be a great fight,” he said.
“It will be a great fight with a good friend; really looking forward to it,” remarked Cairns.
Culainn Sheedy and Oskar Slorrupski get the first national tournament of the New Year underway in the lightweight division.
Four of the winners (one has received a walkover) in the 60kg class will be back in action Saturday, as will the bantamweights and welters.
William Hayden or Luka Gureshidze, contingent on who emerges from this particular head-to-head Friday, will be between the ropes twice this weekend – and Hayden is looking on each contest as a gold medal match.
“I’m delighted with how my training is going. I’m feeling strong and sharp. I’m confident that I’ll have no problems with the fight on Friday, but I’m still going to treat every fight like it’s the finals,” he said.
Thirty-four bouts are slated for completion this weekend, and IABA President Dom O’Rourke is predicting some top-class encounters.
“There’s a lot of very talented young boxers coming through, and there’s some very evenly matched bouts,” he said.
“There’s also a lot of European medallists and Irish champions. It’s going to be a very competitive start to the year for Irish boxing.
“We’re very much looking forward to it and the best of luck to all the athletes, coaches and clubs at the National Stadium this weekend and throughout the tournament.”
The IABA is using the National U/18s to assist with their selection process for the European Youths in Budva, Montenegro in April.
Weigh-ins – athletes weigh-in each day of competition between 8 am and 9 am and 12 pm and 1 pm at the National Stadium
National U/18 Men’s and Women’s Championships National Stadium Dublin
January 10th (6.30pm)
1st Series
60kg Culainn Sheedy (St Marys Dublin) V Oskar Slorrupski (Celtic Eagles)
60kg John McConnell (Holy Trinity) V Eoghan Quinn (St Johns Derry)
60kg Joe O’Brien (Togher) V Daniel Clooney (Palmerstown)
60kg Thomas McCann (St Pauls Antrim) W/O
Prelims
56kg Bailey Marshall (Emerald Antrim) V Chad Magill (Glengormley)
56kg Leon Davis (Bracken) V Conor Healy (Phoenix)
56kg Suffie Edris (Monkstown Dublin) V Jake McMahon (Liberty)
56kg Daire Halfpenny (Gilford) V Martin Brady McCullough (Gleann)
69kg Luka Gureshidze (Togher) V William Hayden (Crumlin)
69kg Darragh Gilroy (Fr Flanagans) V Taylor Guiney (Drimnagh)
O/Finals
52kg Oisin Mullholland (East Down) V Sean Lawlor (Marble City)
64kg Steve Cairns (Legacy) V Matthew Tyndall (Dublin Docklands)
64kg Patrick Donovan (Olympic Galway) V James McDonagh (St Pauls Waterford)
64kg David Nevin (Crumlin) V Sean Roche (Donore)
January 11 (5pm)
2nd Series Prelims
60kg Aodhan Byrne (Kilcullen) V Christopher McCabe (Santry)
60kg Joe Harkin (Oakleaf) V Cian Duggan (Cabra)
60kg Barry O’Connor (Ballyduff) V Cain Lewis (Ballymun)
60kg Adam Sinnott (Rathnew) V Oran Gethins (Sean McDermott)
60kg Cahir Gormley (Illies GG) V Laurentiu Micusa (Curragh)
60kg Nathan O’Brien (Wexford CBS) V James Cullen (Ballagh)
60kg Winner V Winner
60kg Winner V Winner
Q/Finals
56kg Danny Morgan (St Conleths) V Jason Butler (Ballinrobe)
56kg Jack Connors (St Davids Naas) V Adam Kinsella (St Marys NR)
56kg Winner V Winner
56kg Winner V Winner
69kg Liam McMonagle (Raphoe) V Josh Cummins (Trinity Sports)
69kg James Whelan (Dublin Docklands) W/O
69kg Emeka Onwuka (All Saints) V Peter Clarke (Errigal)
69kg Winner V Winner
75kg Eoghan Lavin (Ballyhaunis) V Edvinas Viaciakauskis (Curragh)
75kg Frank Duffin (Monkstown Antrim) V Max Dushyk (St Pauls Waterford)
75kg Patrick Lawlor (Brian Dillons) V Ben Farrelly (Crumlin)
75kg Jack O’Connor (Four Kings) V Tiernan Mayse (Two Castles)
January 17
Q/Finals (6pm)
60kg Sinainn Glynn (Cloghan) V Ellie Mai Gartland (Clonmel)
60kg Winner V Winner
60kg Winner V Winner
60kg Winner V Winner
60kg Winner V Winner
91kg Peter Maughan (Ballyhaunis) V Kristians Keiriss (Rush)
91kg Jack Marley (Monkstown Dublin) V John McDonagh (St Annes)
91+kg Christopher King (Celtic Eagles) V Thomas Leddy (Aglish)
91+kg Airimas Bauras (Athlone) V Patrick Myers (Sligo City)
91+kg Christian Halligan (Saviours Crystal) V Bernard McDonagh (St Annes)
January 18
S/Finals (5pm)
S/Finals
W48kg Aoife Williamson (Curragh) V Breda Quilligan (Rathkeale)
49kg Cian O’Toole (St Davids Naas) V Paddy McShane (Letterkenny)
49kg Dylan Eagleson (St Pauls Antrim) V John Joyce (Olympic Mullingar)
W51kg Chloe Gabriel (Mulhuddart) V Chanelle Robinson (Tipperary Town)
W51kg Nicole Clyde (Antrim) V Rachel Lawless (Portlaoise)
52kg Jake Rapple (Monkstown Dublin) V Joe Moorehouse (Gorey)
52kg Brooklyn Saunders (Docklands) V Winner
56kg Winner V Winner
56kg Winner V Winner
W60kg Keisha Attewell (Tobar Pheadair) V Lillie Keogh (East Meath)
W60kg Kaci Rock (Enniskerry) V Winner
W64kg Leanne Murphy (Togher) V Erin Corrigan (Achill)
W64kg Nicole O’Sullivan (Corinthians) V Mary Enright (Setanta)
64kg James Uzell (Drimnagh) V Winner
64kg Winner V Winner
W69kg Dominika Gulli (Bracken) V Leah Gallen (Raphoe)
January 24
S/Finals (6.30pm)
60kg Winner V Winner
60kg Winner V Winner
69kg Winner V Winner
69kg Winner V Winner
75kg Winner V Winner
75kg Winner V Winner
81kg Jason Myers (Titans) V Daniel Treen (Dungarvan)
81kg Zach Ribbon (St Annes) V Elimane Samba (Four Kings)
91kg John Ward (Brosna) V James Redmond (Ballybrack)
91kg Winner V Winner
91+kg Nojus Ivanauskas (St Davids Naas) V Winner
91+kg Winner V Winner
January 31
Finals (6.30pm)
W42kg Chloe Blake (Ardagh/Crossmolina W/O
W46kg Nicole Buckley (St Carthages ) W/O
46kg Bryce Collins (East Down) W/O
W48kg Codie Lafferty (Raphoe) V Winner
49kg Winner V Winner
W51kg Winner V Winner
52kg Winner V Winner
W54kg Niamh Fay (Swords) W/O
56kg Winner V Winner
W57kg Doireann Coogan (Marble City) W/O
W60kg Winner V Winner
60kg Winner V Winner
W64kg Winner V Winner
64kg Winner V Winner
W69kg Shelby Myers (Crumlin) V Winner
69kg Winner V Winner
W75kg Lisa O’Rourke (Castlerea) W/O
75kg Winner V Winner
W81kg Megan Potter (Gateway) V Bethany Doocey (Castlebar)
81kg Zack Ribbon (St Annes) V Winner
91kg Winner V Winner
91+kg Winner V Winner