European U19s: 3 wins for Team Ireland

Team Ireland have recorded three opening day wins at the European U19 Champonships in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

60kg Sean McCusker was the first of four boxers in action today, contesting gainst England’s Isaac Suwit Huczmann, winning by 4-1 split decision. Judges scored the bout 30:27, 28:29, 28:29, 27:30, 27: 30. Sean is next in action, in the Last 16, against Estonia’s Aleksandr Jivoloup on Thursday.

A decisive opening win for Team Ireland’s Jason Whelan He boxed his 75kg Last 32 bout against Brendon Berki of Hungary, and comes away with a 5-0 win. A point was deducted from the Hungarian for holding and the final scores were: 25:30, 25:30, 25:30, 26:30, 26:30. Jason is through to the Last 16 and is next in action on Thursday, against Bulgaria’s Sami Hisham Hashem Khalil.

Team Ireland’s 65kg John Donoghue opened his account at the championships in style. He was the decisive unanimous decision winner over Albania’s Juren Lazri – 27:30, 27:30, 27:30, 27:30,27:30. John is back in action on Thursday, in Last 16 action against Norway’s Eldar Redzic

Not to be on this occasion for Team Ireland Co-Captain, 70kg Patrick Kelly. He put in a robust performance in the Last 32 against Romania’s Daniel Adrian Grigorie. The 5-0 decision went to the Romanian boxer on a scoreline of 29:27, 29:27, 30:26, 29:27, 29:27.

105 female and 189 male boxers from 33 nations are competiting. The participating nations are: Albania, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine.

Day Two

51kg Kayleigh Byrne of Gorey BC, Co. Wexford is in a Last 16 bout against Turkey’s Emine Kilinc in Bout 10 of Ring A’s Afternoon Session.

57kg Grace Conway, of Tredagh BC, Co. Louth is in Last 16 action against Italy’s Martina di Felice in Bout 3 of Ring B’s Evening Session. In Bout 10 in the same ring and session, 55kg Michael Reilly of St. Paul’s BC, Co. Waterford contests his first bout against Yanko Metodiev Illiev of Bulgaria

50kg Kurt Kinsella of Monkstown BC Dublin takes on Azerbaijani opposition in his opening contest in Bout 10 of Ring A’s Evening Session. He begins at Last 16 stage in a division of 15 boxers, contesting against Bilalhabasi Nazarov on October 1st.

Programme

Watch

The tournament is being live-streamed by the Czech Boxing Federation on its YouTube channel HERE. Links, per ring and session, will become available on the day of boxing

Team Ireland

48kg Chloe Cox, Setanta BC, Co. Kildare

50kg Kurt Kinsella, Monkstown BC Dublin

51kg Kayleigh Byrne, Gorey BC, Co. Wexford

55kg Michael Reilly. St. Paul’s BC, Co. Waterford

57kg Grace Conway, Tredagh BC, Co. Louth

60kg Sean McCusker, Dealgan BC, Co. Louth

65kg John Donoghue, Olympic BC, Co. Westmeath

70kg Katelyn Butler, St. Colman’s BC Co. Cork

70kg Patrick Kelly, St. Abban’s/Kilmyshall BC Co. Wexford

75kg Nessa Tabachuk, Celtic Eagles BC, Co. Galway

75kg Jason Whelan, Dublin Docklands BC

85kg Chulainn McDonnell, Whitechurch BC, Dublin

90kg Shay O’Dowd, Swords BC Dublin

Support staff:

Team Manager: Jennifer O’Sullivan, Sliabh Luachra BC, Kerry

Coaches: Liam Cunningham, Saints ABC, Belfast; Ralph McKay, St. Paul’s BC, Belfast; Aoife Hennigan. Swinford BC, Co. Mayo; Garry Keogh, Marble City BC, Co. Kilkenny