Team Ireland will bring home a remarkable 13 medals from the European U15 Championships in Budva, Montengro, with the colour of 11 medals yet to be determined.
Its a significant achievement, given the number of boxers and teams contesting the tournament: 369 boxers, of whom there are131 girls and 138 boys from 32 nations – Albania, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Scotland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine
Co-Captain 63kg Roisin Hegarty has won through to the finals, and up-graded to at least a silver in the process. She was the 3-2 split decision winner over Turkey’s Ivana Kilci in their semi final – Judges scored the bout 27: 30, 29: 28, 27: 30, 29: 28: 27: 30. She is back in action on Saturday, boxing her final against Tetiana Zvenihorodska of Ukraine
60kg Maicey Field has also booked her place in the final, and taken a step further up the podium by way of a unanimous decision semi-final win over Romania’s Patricia Sara Grigorie on a soreline of 27: 30, 26: 30, 27: 30, 27: 30, 27: 30. Maicey contests her final against Ukraine’s Vira Vasylenko.
While 63kg Charlie Joyce Connolly was the final member of the team to box a quarter final – he was in action today against Lithuania’s Danas Sestakovas and was the 5-0 scored 30: 27, 30: 27, 30: 27, 30: 27, 30: 27. Charlie will box his semi final tomorrow, against England.
52kg Ellie Curtain Murray, of Golden Gloves BC, Cork, will come home with a bronze medal, having contested her semi final against Hungary’s Vivien Varga. The dreaded 3-2 split decision win was awarded to her opponent on a scoreline of 28: 29, 28: 29, 29:28, 29: 28, 28:29 – Ellie has had a great championships, including a keynote win over Italy. 42kg Rosaletta Casey of Portlaoise BC, Loais will also bring home bronze. She boxed her semi-final against Scotland’s Sinita Kaur. The unanimous decision in this high octane bout went to Kaur, and judges scored the bout 30: 27, 30: 27, 30: 27, 30: 27, 30: 27. Rosaletta has had a great Championships journey, with a key win over Poland. And 40kg Ellie May Featherson of Mulhuddart BC, is a European U15 Championships bronze medalist after a brave and battling performance in her semi-final against Nasrin Abdullazada of Azerbaijan. The 4-1 split decision went to the Azerbaijani boxer on a scoreline of 27:30, 28:29,27:30, 27:30, 29:28. Ellie May can be very proud of her Championship journey.
And the traditional Team Ireland Talent Show took place in Budva on Wednesday evening – a dance-off between the Boys Team and the Girls Team. You can watch their performances here. After a public vote across IABA’s Facebook, Instagram and TikTok platforms today, the Girls Team were adjudged the winners, by 110 votes to 21. Well done to both teams! The talent show is a long-standing custom for Team Ireland U15 teams, and builds camraderie and helps boxers competing at their first international tournament to take a complete break from the rigours of competition.
Day Seven
8 Team Ireland boxers are vying for medal up-grade on Friday, in the second day of semi-finals. The Afternoon Session begins at 1pm, and the Evening Session is underway at 5pm.
In Bout 3 of the Afternoon Session, 42kg Ronan Charles takes on Romania’s Ioan Auras Cantar – and three bouts later, 44kg Pa Casey contests for a place in Saturday’s finals against England’s Thomas Catanach. In Bout 10, 48kg Zach Creighton vies against Vakaris Kiseliunas of Lithuania – and four bouts later, 52kg Patrick Hourican takes on Georgia’s Giorgi Akhveldiani. In Bout 18, 57kg Kieran McDonagh steps between the ropes against the Czech Republic’s Rene Polak.
In Friday’s Eveing Session, 48kg Macie Duffy O’Connor contests against England’s Jenna Dally for a medal upgrade: that’s Bout 2. 63kg Charlie Joyce Connolly has a quick turn-around from today’s Quarter Final, and takes on Zidane Tazeem of England in his semi final in Bout 7. The final Team Ireland boxer between the ropes on Friday is 75kg Thomas O’Reilly – he’s in action in Bout 14, against Yenerhan Eroglu of Turkey.
Watch
European Boxing is live-streaming the tournament on its YouTube channel, here. Links, per ring and session, will be published on the day of boxing.
Team Ireland
40kg Ellie May Featherson, Mulhuddart BC, Dublin
40kg John Sweeney, Olympic BC, Galway
42kg Rosetta Casey, Portlaoise BC, Loais
42kg Ronan Charles, Mullingar Elite BC, Westmeath
44kg Ava Harford, Phoenix of Ballyboughal BC, Dublin
44kg Pa Casey, Sliabh Luachra BC, Kerry
46kg Kenia Flood Prado, Glasnevin BC, Dublin
48kg Macie Duffy O’Connor, Cabra BC, Dublin
48kg Zach Creighton, Avona BC, Dublin, Team Co-Captain
50kg Franky Mooney, Banbridge BC, Antrim
52kg Ellie Curtain Murray, Golden Gloves BC, Cork
52kg Patrick Hourican, Sean Doran’s BC, Armagh
54kg Charley Scott, St Catherine’s BC, Dublin
57kg Kieran McDonagh, Olympic BC, Galway
60kg Maicey Field, Baldoyle BC, Dublin
63kg Charlie Joyce Connolly, Jobstown BC, Dublin
63kg Roisin Hegarty, Twin Towns BC, Donegal, Team Co-Captain
66kg Eddie Sweeney, Galway BC
75kg Thomas O’Reilly, Portlaoise BC, Loais
Team Managers: Stephen Connolly & Bridget Scott
Coaches:
John Coffey, Sliabh Luachra BC, Kerry,
Paul Simson, Saviours Crystal BC, Waterford
Tommy O’Donnell, Charleville BC, Cork
Lynne McEnery, High Performance Unit.
R&J Karl McLoughlin, St. Catherine’s BC, Dublin