Irish squad
Galway pair Patrick Sweeney and Patrick Donovan, both of the Olympic BC, upgraded their guaranteed bronze medals to at least silver after a double over Bulgaria in today’s European Schoolboy Championships semi-finals in Valcea, Romania.
Eoghan Lavin of the Ballyhaunis BC is also through to Tuesday’s finals after beating Gelik Burkcan, the Irish lightweight forcing the Turk into a standing count with a big right in the third round.
Bulgaria’s Danil Kirilov also took a standing count today against Sweeney, who produced three rounds of top class boxing in which he showcased just about every punch in the book – with the footwork to match.
Donovan also showed his class to see off the challenge of Kirilov’s compatriot Anton Kirilov over three rounds.
Jake Charles, Brooklyn Saunders, Cahir Gormley, Cain Lewis, John Ward, Sean Walsh and Jordan Ward lost out in their semi-finals today, with Jordan Ward somehow being on the wrong end of a split decision in a bout he dictated in all three rounds against Andrija Badza of Croatia.
All seven Irish athletes gave fine accounts of themselves this afternoon and early evening and will all be bringing home bronze to cap fine tournaments.The remaining Irish trio meet Russian opponents for gold in Tuesday’s finals.
The Irish squad are assured of least three silver medals and seven bronze from Romania.
Team Ireland are due to arrive home at 11.45am on Wednesday morning via Dublin Airport.
European Schoolboys Championships 2017, Valcea, Romania July 17th/26th
July 18th (Last 16)
65kg Aaron McElligott (Ireland) beat Samuel Florin-Cimpoesu (Romania) 5-0
July 19th (Last 16)
46kg Patrick Sweeney (Ireland) beat Einoras Sinkevicus (Lithuania) TKO2
48kg Sheamie McDonagh (Ireland) beat Beka Tserediani (Georgia) 5-0
56kg James Whelan (Ireland) beat Barga Entika (Hungary) 5-0
62kg Danny McHugh (Ireland) lost to Marcus Ellis (England) 2-3
July 20th (Last 16)
38.5kg Michael Donoghue (Ireland) beat Jack Dryden (England) 4-1
41.5kg Jack Charles (Ireland) beat Vadim Ystonov (Moldova) TKO3
50kg Patrick Donovan (Ireland) beat Pavel Bozovic (Montenegro) 5-0
52kg Cain Lewis (Ireland) beat Jure Bratovich (Croatia) TKO1
July 21st
(Last 16)
44.5kg Cahir Gormley (Ireland) beat Gabriel Paynarov (Bulgaria) 4-1
54kg Sean Roche (Ireland) lost to Ersungur Goktur (Turkey) 1-4
59kg Eoghan Lavin (Ireland) beat Kamil Urbaniak (Poland) 5-0
July 22nd
(Q/Finals)
38.5kg Michael Donoghue (Ireland) lost to Radoslav Rosenov (Bulgaria) 0-5
40kg Brooklyn Saunders (Ireland) beat Yaslin Farell (Germany) 5-0
41.5kg Jack Charles (Ireland) beat Zgajner Jure (Slovakia) TKO2
43kg Cory Byrne-Dunbar (Ireland) lost to Abdullah Karpuz (Turkey) 2-3
44.5kg Cahir Gormley (Ireland) beat Octo Ibrahim (Turkey) 5-0
46kg Patrick Sweeney (Ireland) beat Vlad Vaskovskyii (Ukraine) 5-0
48kg Shamie McDonagh (Ireland) lost to Alexandr Zyrianov (Russia) 0-5
50kg Patrick Donovan (Ireland) beat Yunis Guliiev (Ukraine) 4-1
52kg Cain Lewis (Ireland) beat Lukasz Perkoski (Poland) 5-0
56kg James Whelan (Ireland) lost to Kosta Simeno (Bulgaria) 2-3
59kg Eoghan Lavin (Ireland) beat Danil Tsitko (Belarus) 5-0
65kg Aaron McElligott (Ireland) lost Yahor Simakov (Belarus) 0-5
68kg John Ward (Ireland) beat Szyman Szyma (Poland) 5-0
72kg Sean Walsh (Ireland) beat Alam Kudic (Croatia) TKO1
76kg Darragh Farrell (Ireland) lost to Borna Loncaric (Croatia) 0-5
80kg Jordan Ward (Ireland) beat Arten Buiru (Ukraine) 3-2
90kg Thomas McDonnell (Ireland) lost to Hovhan Papazyan (Armenia) 0-5
July 24th
S/Finals
41.5kg Jack Charles (Ireland) lost to Krasmir Dzhurav (Bulgaria) 0-5
40kg Brooklyn Saunders (Ballybough) lost to Tommy Cole (England) 2-3
44.5kg Cahir Gormley (Ireland) lost to Ivan Kobzev (Russia) TKO2
46kg Patrick Sweeney (Ireland) beat Danil Kirilov (Bulgaria) 5-0
50kg Patrick Donovan (Ireland) beat Anton Kirilov (Bulgaria) 4-1
59kg Eoghan Lavin (Ireland) beat Gelik Burkcan (Turkey) 5-0
52kg Cain Lewis (Ireland) lost to Gor Mkhitaryan (Georgia) 0-5
68kg John Ward (Ireland) lost to Antionio Grabic (Croatia) 1-4
72kg Sean Walsh (Ireland) lost to Parr Kyle (England) 0-3
80kg Jordan Ward (Ireland) lost to Andrija Badza (Croatia) 2-3
July 25th
Finals
46kg Patrick Sweeney (Ireland) v Sergey Koldenikov (Russia)
50kg Patrick Donovan (Ireland) v Evegeny Zhorov (Russia)
59kg Eoghan Lavin (Ireland) v Sergei Egorov (Russia)
Irish squad
38.5kg Michael Donoghue (St Michaels Athy)
40kg Brooklyn Saunders (Ballybough) (Bronze)
41.5kg Jake Charles (Mullingar Elite) (Bronze)
43kg Cory Byrne-Dunbar (St Aidans)
44.5kg Cahir Gormley (Maydown Olympic) (Bronze)
46kg Patrick Sweeney (Olympic) (Silver, at least)
48kg Shamie McDonagh (St Pauls Wat)
50kg Patrick Donovan (Olympic) (Silver, at least)
52kg Cain Lewis (Ballymun) (Bronze)
54kg Sean Roche (Donore)
56kg James Whelan (Dublin Docklands)
59kg Eoghan Lavin (Ballyhaunis) (Silver, at least)
62kg Danny McHugh (Two Castles)
65kg Aaron McElligott (Cashen Vale)
68kg John Ward (Brosna) cpt (Bronze)
72kg Sean Walsh (Trojan) (Bronze)
76kg Darragh Farrell (St Josephs Edenderry)
80kg Jordan Ward (Bay City) (Bronze)
90kg Thomas McDonnell (Crumlin)
Team Manager – Peter O’Donnell
Coaches – Stephen McElhinney, Paddy Gallagher and Liam Brereton
R&J – Larry Durand