WARD THROUGH TO 3RD EUROPEAN FINAL, IRVINE AND WALKER WIN BRONZE

 

Joe Ward is on course for his third European Elite gold after beating Valentino Manfredonia in today’s light-heavy semi-final in Kharkiv, Ukraine.

The Moate BC southpaw scored a unanimous decision over the Italian and is one win away from a unique hat-trick.

Manfredonia picked up a knee injury in the first round and bravely fought on, but Ward always looked the more likely and boxed well within himself in the three rounds to upgrade his guaranteed bronze to at least silver..

Earlier, Brendan Irvine and Kurt Walker had to settle for bronze today after losing out on unanimous decisions at the semi-final stage to England and Ukraine

Irvine was beaten by Niall Dean Farrell in the flyweight class and Walker lost to Ukraine’s Mykola Butsenko earlier today.

Saturday’s finals begin at 2pm (Irish time).

Team Ireland are due home at 10.50pm via Dublin Airport on Sunday night.

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

S/Finals

52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) lost to Dean Farrell (England) 0-5
56kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) lost to Mykola Butsenko (Ukraine) 0-5
81kg Joe Ward (Ireland) beat Valentino Manfredonia (Italy) 5-0

June 24th

Finals

81kg Joe Ward (Ireland) v Muslim Gadzhimagomedov (Russia)

Irish squad

52kg – Flyweight – Brendan Irvine (St Pauls) (Bronze)

56kg – Bantamweight – Kurt Walker (Canal) (Bronze)

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) (Silver, 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