Winnie McDonagh and Marie Marine-Gabriel blasted their way into their respective finals at the European Juniors in Galati, Romania today.
But Robyn Kelly, Aaliyah Butler, Tiegan Farrell and Dearbhla Tinnelly had to settle for bronze after close three-rounders with Russia.
McDonagh put the pressure on and kept it on against Germany’s Ani Manukyan to upgrade her guaranteed bronze to at least silver.
The Dubliner found the target with big shots throughout her semi-final with Manukyan receiving a public warning for holding in the third.
Italy’s Elen Ayari, who took two standing counts in rounds two and three,was unable to handle the accuracy and frequency of Marine Gabriel’s left jab, but it was the Irish champion’s right that sealed the win after the Galway titlist rocked her opponent with a massive shot in the third.
Kelly won the second against Anastasia Kirienko but took a debatable standing count in the third. The first frame was fairly even. Big performance from Kelly, particularly in the second stanza.
Butler and Liana Tarasian were closely matched in all three rounds but it was the Russian that got the nod after a tight bantamweight clash.
Farrell and Natalia Zavialova of Russia were involved in a cagey 66kg contest. Farrell found the target with some solid backhands in rounds two and three, while her eastern Europe opponent had to work hard for her victory.
Tinnelly, the last Irish boxer in competition this evening, was beaten on points by Valeriia Vorontsova after an all southpaw 75kg semi-final. Tinnelly, working well with her backhand, had a good second frame while rounds 1 and 3 were decided on tight margins.
Meanwhile, the Boys in Green will be boxing for places in the finals tomorrow with three between the ropes in Galati. As things stand, Ireland is guaranteed at least two silver and seven bronze.
Images courtesy of Tibor Kincses
Team Ireland are due to arrive home via Bucharest via Dublin Airport (Terminal 1) at 4.45pm on Sunday.
European Male and Female Junior Championships Galati, Romania, May 22/June 2
June 1
Finals
50kg Marie Marine-Gabriel (Ireland) v Valeriaa Linkova (Russia)
63kg Winnie McDonagh (Ireland) v Viola Piras (Italy)
May 30
S/Finals
48kg Robyn Kelly (Ireland) lost to Anastasia Kirienko (Russia) 0-5
50kg Marie Marine-Gabriel (Ireland) beat Elen Ayari (Italy) 5-0
54kg Aaliyah Butler (Ireland) lost to Liana Tarasian (Russia) 0-5
63kg Winnie McDonagh (Ireland) beat Ani Manukyan (Germany) 5-0
66kg Tiegan Farrell (Ireland) lost to Natalia Zavialova (Russia) 0-5
75kg Dearbhla Tinnelly (Ireland) lost to Valeriia Vorontsova (Russia) 0-4
May 31
S/Finals
48kg Michael Donoghue (Ireland) v Boris Eroshkin (Russia)
57kg Martin McCullough (Ireland) v Ivan Kobzev (Russia)
66kg Taylor Guiney (Ireland) v Vladislave Chepizhko (Russia)
May 28
Q/Finals
46kg Breda Quilligan (Ireland) lost to Fanni Kovacs (Hungary) 0-5
46kg Dylan Eagleson (Ireland) lost to Timur Khalilov (Russia) 2-3
50kg Marie Marine-Gabriel (Ireland) beat Veronika Zajicova (Czech Republic) 5-0
54kg Aaliyah Butler (Ireland) beat Antoneia Alecu (Romania) 5-0
60kg Michael McCarthy (Ireland) lost to Magomed Mamaev (Russia) 0-5
66kg Tiegan Farrell (Ireland) beat Radmyla Rodinova (Ukraine) 3-2
66kg Taylor Guiney (Ireland) beat Narek Zakharyan (Armenia) 5-0
75kg Dearbhla Tinnelly (Ireland) beat Nur Kocaoglu (Turkey) 4-1
75kg Mark Duffy (Ireland) lost to Vinny Huczmann (England) 0-5
May 27
Q/Finals
48kg Robyn Kelly (Ireland) beat Gamze Soguksu (Turkey) 5-0
48kg Michael Donoghue (Ireland) beat Said Abdullayev (Azerbaijan) 5-0
63kg Winnie McDonagh (Ireland) beat Lia Pukkila (Finland) 5-0
57kg Martin McCullough (Ireland) beat Matvei Starikov (Estonia) 5-0
57kg Nicole O’Sullivan (Ireland) lost to Cristina Ciobanu (Romania) 1-4
70kg Shauna Doherty (Ireland) lost to Melania Moldovan (Romania) 2-3
70kg Eoghan Lavin (Ireland) lost to Mikhail Usov (Russia) 0-5
80kg Margaret Stokes (Ireland) lost to Natalia Hodyk (Ukraine) 1-4
May 26
Last 16
46kg Dylan Eagleson (Ireland) beat Rafael Lozano (Spain) 5-0
48kg Michael Donoghue (Ireland) beat James Sweeney (Scotland) 5-0
52kg Donagh Keary (Ireland) lost to Asad Aghayev (Azerbaijan) 0-5
60kg Michael McCarthy (Ireland) beat Giorgi Zhorzhaliani (Georgia) 3-2
66kg Taylor Guiney (Ireland) beat Andrei Mustet (Turkey) 5-0
70kg Eoghan Lavin (Ireland) beat Alperen Terzi (Turkey) 4-1
May 25
Last 16
52kg Rachael Lawless (Ireland) lost to Sophia Mazzoni (Italy) 0-5
54kg Aaliyah Butler (Ireland) beat Ellie Taylor (Wales) 5-0
57kg Martin McCullough (Ireland) beat Ares Hakoyban (Armenia) 4-0
63kg Winnie McDonagh (Ireland) beat Ceren Tuncer (Turkey) 5-0
75kg Mark Duffy (Ireland) beat Lucian Miltitelu (Romania) 5-0
Last 32
54kg Mustafa Edris (Ireland) lost to Royston Smith-Barney (England) 1-4
May 24
Prelims Last 16/32
1st session
48kg Michael Donoghue (Ireland) beat Zoltan Cservak (Hungary) 5-0
48kg Robyn Kelly (Ireland) beat Iryna Melnyk (Ukraine) 5-0
66kg Taylor Guiney (Ireland) beat Orhan Mehmet (Turkey) 5-0
66kg Tiegan Farrell (Ireland) beat Petra Kovacs (Hungary) 5-0
80+kg Thomas McDonnell (Ireland) lost to Dzmitry Barysav (Belarus) 1-4
50kg Jason Nevin (Ireland) lost to Saba Tkebuchave (Georgia) 1-4
57kg Martin McCullough (Ireland) beat Kevin Bohm (Sweden) 5-0
60kg Shelby Myres (Ireland) lost to Maryna Muliarchk (Belarus) 2-3
63kg Thomas King (Ireland) lost to Niv Rahamin (Israel) 1-4
80kg James Ward (Ireland) lost to Jack Turnbull (England) 2-3
Irish squad
Female
46kg Breda Quilligan (Rathkeale)
48kg Robyn Kelly (Ballynacargy) (Bronze)
50kg Marie Marine-Gabriel (Mulhuddart) (Silver, at least)
52kg Rachael Lawless (Portlaoise) Cpt
54kg Aaliyah Butler (Monivea) (Bronze)
57kg Nicole O’Sullivan (Corinthians)
60kg Shelby Myres (Crumlin)
63kg Winnie McDonagh (Neilstown) (Silver, at least)
66kg Tiegan Farrell (Arklow) (Bronze)
70kg Shauna Doherty (Sacred Heart, Dublin)
75kg Dearbhla Tinnelly (Clann Naofa) (Bronze, at least)
80kg Margaret Stokes (Callan)
Male
46kg Dylan Eagleson (St Pauls, Antrim)
48kg Michael Donoghue (St Michaels Athy) (Bronze, at least)
50kg Jason Nevin (Olympic Mullingar)
52kg Donagh Keary (Rathfriland)
54kg Mustafa Edris (Monkstown, Dublin)
57kg Martin McCullough (Gleann) (Bronze, at least)
60kg Michael McCarthy (Mayfield)
63kg Thomas King (Ratoath)
66kg Taylor Guiney (Drimngh) (Bronze, at least)
70kg Eoghan Lavin (Ballyhaunis) Cpt
75kg Mark Duffy (Charlestown)
80kg John Ward (Brosna)
80+kg Thomas McDonnell (Docklands)
IABA President: Dominic O’Rourke
Team managers: Eugene O’Kane Snr and Anne Murphy
Coaches: Billy McClean, James Doyle, Gerard McDaid, John Gallagher, Aoife Hennigan
R&J: Loughlin Gannon