Team Ireland’s Cliona D’Arcy has won through to the heavyweight final of the World Youth Championships in La Nucia, Spain.
The Tobar Pheadair, Galway, boxer renewed rivalry against Poland’s Weronika Maja Bochen. The two last met at the same stage in the European Youth Championships in Bulgaria in April. D’arcy was the victor then, and history repeated today – the judges scored the 5-0 bout 30:27, 30:26, 30:27, 30:26, 29:28.
There are two days of finals, on Friday and Saturday. Cliona steps between the ropes to box for gold in the second last bout of the tournament – Ring B’s bout 12 on Saturday – an evening session, beginning at 5pm. She’ll box out of the red corner when she contests against India’s Kirti Kirti.
5 Team Ireland boxers come home with bronze, and invaluable international experience. In Ring A’s afternoon session, light heavy, Team Co-Captain Dearbhla Tinnelly boxed England’s Amber Birch. Judges awarded the 5-0 win to the English boxer: 30:26, 30:25, 30:27, 30:27, 29:28. Dearbhla ends an incredible year as a 2022 World and European medalist.
Lightweight Lee McEvoy boxed against Georgia’s Gocha Gordulava in the same ring and session, and returns to his club, Avona, with bronze hardware. The 5-0 decision went to the Georgian – 27:30
26:30, 26:30, 27:30, 26:30
In Ring B’s afternoon session, light middle Laura Moran took on Uzbekistan’s Aziza Zokirova; the UD went to the Uzbek boxer – 27:30, 27:30, 28:29, 27:30, 28:29. Laura joins Cliona and Dearbhla in being a 2022 World and Youth medalist.
Team Co-Captain, welter Jim Donovan, met Kazakhstan’s Nurkeb Mursal. He lost out on the narrowest of margins – a 3-2 split: 29:28, 28:29, 28:29, 29:28, 28:28. Two bouts later, in bout 12, cruiserweight Nathan Ojo contested against Ronny Noa of Cuba. He came out the wrong side of a 4-1 split: 27:30, 28:29, 29:28
27:30, 27:30.
Jim, Nathan, Laura and Dearbhla will receive their medals on Saturday; Lee’s will be bestowed on Friday.
History-Makers
This team has made history – they are now the most sucessful ever Irish World Youth Championship team. The previous Team Ireland record-setters at the tournament was the 2008 squad. The tournament in that year took place in Mexico, and Ireland came home with four medals:
60kg Ray Moylette Gold
64kg Jamie Kavanagh Silver
69kg David Joe Joyce Bronze
81kg Tommy McCarthy Bronze
Team Ireland Squad
Men:
48kg Thady Patsy Joyce, Olympic L, Westmeath
51kg Jack Harkin, Oakleaf BC, Derry
54kg Gavin Ryan, Ratoath BC, Meath
57kg Roy Farrelly, Avona BC, Dublin
60kg Lee McEvoy, Avona BC, Dublin
63.5kg Conor McCrory, Townland ABC.
67kg James Donovan, OLOL, Limerick
71kg Bobbi Flood, Cabra BC, Dublin
75kg TJ King, Phoenix of Ballyboughal, Dublin
80kg Ryan Murphy, Neilstown, Dublin
86kg Nathan Ojo, Esker, Dublin
92kg David McDonagh, Olympic BC, Galway
92+ Bernard Cawley, St. David’s BC, Naas
Women:
48kg Georgia McGovern, Setanta L, Kildare
50kg Caoimhe Kinsella, St Anthony’s/Pats, Wexford
52kg Esther Lambe, Setanta L, Kildare
54kg Shakira Donoghue, Templemore, Tipperary
57kg Rebecca Kavanagh, Mulhuddart,
60kg Yasmin Meredith, Corinthians BC, Dublin
63kg Rebecca Collins, Baldoyle, Dublin
66kg Gabrielle Mongan, Whitechurch, Dublin
70kg Laura Moran, St Anne’s, Mayo
81kg Dearbhla Tinnelly, Clann Naofa, Louth
81+kg Cliona D’Arcy, Tobar Pheadair, Galway
Team Manager: Francis Keeling
Team Manager: Bernadette Lannon
Coach: Lynne McEnery
Coach: Michael Mongan
Coach: Liam Cunningham
Draw sheets after Day 8:
Day One results are available here
Day Two results are available here
Day Three results are available here
Day Four results are available here
Day Five results are available here
Day Six results are available here
Days Seven results are available here
Day Eight results are available here
Session 23A results
Session 23B results
Session 24A results
Session 24B results