5 TALKING POINTS ahead of the National Under-18 Championships
The first National titles of 2024 will be won over the coming two weeks.
The first tournament of the year, the Irish Under-18 National Championships, gloves off at the National Stadium on Friday night and will conclude at the home of Irish boxing on Saturday, January 20th
A tournament famed for shining a spotlight on the stars of the future is always eagerly anticipated and as ever this installment promises to be an extremely exciting one.
That excitement begins even before a jab is thrown with plenty of talking points to fuel giddy chatter, a number of which we here at Irish-boxing.com take a look at.
NUMBERS UP
The sheer volume of entrants is impressive. 149 boxers will contest across the weights with 28 titles up for grabs. It’s not a record-breaking entry list but a high number of entrants always looks good for the tournament and the future. The fact the entrants are spread across the weight classes is also a plus, showing competition at every weight.
One numerical downside is the fact there are still titles being won via walkovers. There are no walkovers in the men’s tournament whatsoever and four in the female tournament. It won’t mean anything less to the talented quartet of Emily Midwinter, Carlagh Peake, Nell McLoughlin and Shauna Crehan and they certainly have earned their Irish crowns, but boxing will be it at peak health when each weight class has more than one entrant.
TALENT-PACKED FIELD
While there are sizeable numbers there certainly isn’t a making-up the number feel to the competition.
It’s possibly the most decorated Under-18 field. There are European medal winners and World champions among the 149. In fact, in some cases there are decorated internationals in the same weight class.
It means the domestic national tournament will be littered with world-class bouts and there should be a fight or 10 of real interest across each of the four days of action.
CONTINUED SPILLING OF NEW BLOOD
The amount of champions coming from famed ‘powerhouse’ clubs has increased massively over the last number of years. It’s particularly noticeable at underage level and is one of the biggest indicators of the growth of amateur boxing on the island.
While there is no doubt there will be champions and success for the more established clubs this month, there will be new champions from relatively new clubs – and even if they don’t manage to guide fighters into the winner’s circle their presence is a massive plus.
Clubs like Jobstown, Four Kings, Olympic Mullingar, Whitechurch, Cherry Orchard among others have enjoyed huge success and enhanced their reputation in recent years. Now others will be looking to follow a similar path.
It will be interesting to see how Unit 3 and Treaty Boxing Club, who have links to the pro ranks via Niall Barrett and Shaun Kelly respectively get on.
FINAL OF FINALS
The draw has paved the way for one of the most eagerly anticipated Youth Championships finals of all time.
If Siofra Lawless can find passage past The Hub’s Chloe Keogh in the light welterweight semi-final it sets up a mouthwatering world-level decider.
If the queen of Four Kings can get through the strong Limerick contender, she will take on Ava Henry in the final, meaning two underage powerhouses will collide.
You’d have a six-time Ireland champion, reigning Under-18 title holder, and two-time European gold medal winner in Henry against a four-time Irish champion and current Junior World Champion in Lawless battling it out for Irish honours.
Not to mention the excitement wouldn’t be culled by a Keogh win, the narrative would just change slightly.
HEAVY LIFTING AT LIGHTWEIGHT
The winner of the lightweight category will have to do some heavy lifting before stepping onto the top of the podium
There may be bigger names and more star-studded weight classes but there is none to compare to 60kg in terms of volume. 20 teens have entered at the weight, meaning the eventual winner may have to come through four fights to get his hand raised.
The most populated female weight class is featherweight with nine entrants.
For the draw click HERE
The full list of entrants is below:
44kg Emily Midwinter Leinster Rosslare Boxing Club
46kg Ella Thompson Leinster Setanta Boxing Academy
46kg Sophie Curley Grey Leinster Dealgan ABC –
48kg Tiffany Spencer Leinster Jobstown Boxing Club
48kg Ide Cashell Leinster Ballymun Boxing Club
48kg Keely Stevens Connacht Charlestown Boxing Club first ever champ
48kg Nicole Ahearn Munster Golden Gloves Boxing Club Cork
48kg Ciar Mackin Ulster Bryansford Boxing Club
48kg Jamie O Rourke Leinster St. Mary’s Boxing Club New Ross
50kg Carlagh Peake Connacht Ballyhaunis Boxing Club
52kg Grace Conway Leinster Tredagh Boxing Academy –
52kg Síofra O Halloran Leinster Ballynacargy Boxing Club
54kg Niamh Keogh Leinster Olympic Boxing Club Mullingar –
54kg Tiegan Farrelly Leinster Dunboyne Boxing Club –
54kg Hannah Masterson Ulster Clonard Boxing Club Belfast –
54kg Aoife Dougan Ulster Armagh ABC –
54kg Nicole Kinsella Leinster St. Mary’s Boxing Club
57kg Meghan Martin Connacht Ballinacarrow Boxing Club
57kg Éabha Murphy Leinster Drimnagh Boxing Club
57kg Clodagh Caldwell Leinster Dunboyne Boxing Club
57kg Chelsey Coiley Ulster Clonard Boxing Club Belfast
57kg Siena Fitzpatrick Leinster Jobstown Boxing Club
57kg Ali Flood Leinster Monkstown Boxing Club Dublin
57kg Chelsea Jordan Munster Muskerry Boxing Club
57kg Charlie Mcevoy Leinster Donore Boxing Club
57kg Breanna Johnston Leinster Tredagh Boxing Academy
60kg Siofra Kenny Leinster Curadh Boxing Club
60kg Georgia Stewart Leinster Darndale Boxing Club
63kg Chloe Keogh Munster The Hub Boxing Club
63kg Ava Henry Leinster Dublin Docklands Boxing Club
63kg Siofra Lawless Leinster Four Kings Boxing Club
66kg Saoirse Mc carthy Leinster St. Pappin’s Boxing Club
66kg Kyla Doyle Leinster Whitechurch Boxing Club
66kg Sophie Fitzsimons Leinster UNIT 3 Boxing Club Naas
66kg Jessica Talbot Leinster Lucan Boxing Club
66kg Lani Lafferty Ulster Twin Towns Athletic Boxing Club
70kg Jodie Byrne Leinster St. Teresa’s Boxing Club Bray
70kg Sarah Murphy Leinster St Brigids BC Kildare
75kg Nell Mcloughlin Connacht Eagle Boxing Club
81kg Shauna Crehan Leinster Dunboyne Boxing Club
Men’s Entries
44kg Jake Kelleher Leinster RatoathGGBC
44kg Jaiden Buckley Leinster St. Teresa’s Boxing Club Bray
46kg Rico Mc Inerney Leinster Portlaoise Boxing Club
46kg Tiarnan Cunningham Leinster Dealgan ABC
48kg Scott Thompson Ulster Spartans Boxing Club Ballyclare
48kg Keelin Moore Leinster Setanta Boxing Academy
48kg Aaron Keogh Leinster Drimnagh Boxing Club worlds
48kg Alfie Jordan Leinster Olympic Boxing Club Mullingar
48kg Antonio Bozkaya Leinster EastMeathBC
51kg Jamie Collins Leinster Drimnagh Boxing Club
51kg Daniel Phillips Leinster RatoathGGBC
51kg Martin Browne Ulster Emerald ABC Belfast
51kg John joe Boyle Ulster St. John Bosco ABC Belfast
51kg Nico Donohoe Leinster St. Michael’s Boxing Club Athy
51kg Peter Mari Leinster Nutgrove Boxing Club
54kg Jamie Mcdonagh Connacht Galway Boxing Club
54kg Saul Brown Ulster Cairn Lodge ABC
54kg John Connors Leinster Common Quay St Boxing Club
54kg William Mongan Leinster Drimnagh Boxing Club
54kg Matthew McDonagh Ulster Dukes Boxing Gym
54kg Kai Griffin Leinster Avona Boxing Club
57kg Nathan Lynch Connacht Ardagh Crossmolina Boxing Club
57kg John Harty Leinster Portlaoise Boxing Club
57kg Liam Billy Carroll Leinster Setanta Boxing Academy
57kg Ryley Doherty Ulster Raphoe Boxing Club
57kg Jamie Graham Ulster Clonard Boxing Club Belfast
57kg Liam McNamee Leinster St. Conleth’s Boxing Club
57kg Martin McDonagh Leinster Avona Boxing Club
57kg Conor Durning Ulster Dunfanaghy Boxing Club
60kg Danny O’Neill Ulster St. John Bosco ABC Newry
60kg Tarik Michael Militti Leinster Cabra Boxing Club
60kg Jack Johnson Leinster Marble City Boxing Club
60kg Jake Daly Ulster DBoxBC
60kg Jack McNamee Leinster Olympic Boxing Club Mullingar
60kg James Delaney Connacht Olympic Boxing Club Galway
60kg Jerry Connors Leinster Monkstown Boxing Club Dublin
60kg Conor Cousins Leinster St. Teresa’s Boxing Club Bray
60kg Robert Loscher Leinster Esker ABC
60kg Fionn Duffy Ulster St. Joseph’s ABC Derry
60kg Rahman Abdulnasser Leinster Ballymun Boxing Club
60kg Daniel Mc mahon Leinster Enniskerry Boxing Club
60kg Louis Griffin Munster Kilfenora Boxing Club
60kg Nojus Samatakus Ulster Portadown community boxing club
60kg Armandas Kreqzde Leinster Avona Boxing Club
60kg Callum Carragher Leinster Tredagh Boxing Academy
60kg Martin Maughan Leinster Whitechurch Boxing Club
60kg William McCarthy Leinster St. Michael’s Boxing Club Athy
60kg Aodhan Scott Ulster Glengormley ABC
60kg Christopher Stapleton Leinster BallyboughalBC
63.5kg Dylan O Flynn Munster St. Colman’s Boxing Club
63.5kg Jack Mc Elroy Ulster Raphoe Boxing Club
63.5kg Enda Lavin Connacht Ballyhaunis Boxing Club
63.5kg Cian Brown Munster Tipperary Town Boxing Club
63.5kg Christy Joyce Leinster Athlone Boxing Club
63.5kg Danny Reilly Munster St. Paul’s Boxing Club Waterford
63.5kg Ryan Jenkins Leinster Olympic Boxing Club Mullingar
63.5kg Josh Kiely Munster St. Francis Boxing Club
63.5kg Marcus Barrett Connacht Titans Boxing Club Galway
63.5kg Jonathan O donnell Munster Charleville Boxing Club
63.5kg Elias Dlhos Leinster UNIT 3 Boxing Club Naas
63.5kg Simon Lynch Munster Treaty Boxing Club
63.5kg Nadim Durani Leinster Liberty Boxing Club
63.5kg Fionn Dines Leinster Dealgan ABC
67kg Brian Mongan Connacht Ballyhaunis Boxing Club
67kg AARON CARR Leinster St. Catherine’s Boxing Club
67kg Ryan Connolly Leinster Setanta Boxing Academy
67kg Alex Cronin Leinster Angels Boxing Club
67kg Aaron Foster Ulster Cairn Lodge ABC
67kg Thomas James Ward Connacht Olympic Boxing Club Galway
67kg Dylan Conroy Leinster RatoathGGBC
67kg Simon Casey Munster St. Francis Boxing Club
67kg Alex Noonan-Carmody Munster Riverstown Boxing Club
67kg Martin O Donnell Leinster Ballymun Boxing Club
67kg Thomas Tuffy Connacht Knockmore/Foxford Boxing Club
67kg Gary O Connor Leinster St. Mary’s Boxing Club New Ross
67kg Jason Cotter Munster Cove Boxing Club
71kg Charlie Valsbergs Leinster Cherry Orchard Boxing Club
71kg Peter Lawlor Munster De Courcey ABC
71kg Reece Buckley Munster Northside Boxing Club
71kg Darragh Smyth Ulster Clonard Boxing Club Belfast
71kg Yefrem Kudrin Leinster Smithfield Boxing Club
71kg Kieran Cunnigham Ulster Carndonagh Boxing Club
71kg Grigorii Onipchenko Connacht CelticEBC
71kg Tadhg O’Donnell Leinster Four Kings Boxing Club
71kg Max Rosen Leinster UNIT 3 Boxing Club Naas
75kg Patrick O’ Reilly Leinster Portlaoise Boxing Club
75kg Joey O’Hora Ulster Twin Towns Athletic Boxing Club
75kg Daniel McDonagh Connacht Geesala Boxing Club
75kg darragh lawlor Munster BrianDBC
75kg Danny Tsui Ulster Star of the Sea ABC Faughanvale
75kg Reuben Aigbologa Munster Mayfield Boxing Club
75kg Edward Barrett Connacht Titans Boxing Club Galway
80kg Cathal Nevin Leinster Mullingar Elite Boxing Club
80kg Padraig Corduff Connacht St. Anne’s Boxing Club
80kg John Donaghy Ulster Star of the Sea ABC Faughanvale
80kg Johnny Sweeney Connacht Olympic Boxing Club Galway
80kg Joshua Muckian Ulster Silverbridge ABC
80kg Shay O’ Dowd Leinster Swords Boxing Club
86kg Denis Muntean Leinster Bracken Boxing Club
86kg Tom Stokes Leinster Athlone Boxing Club
86kg John Phoenix Leinster Four Kings Boxing Club
92kg Paddy Sweeney Connacht Galway Boxing Club
92kg Kyle Crean Munster Northside Boxing Club
92kg Brandon Mckelvie Ulster Clonard Boxing Club Belfast
92kg Thomas Byrne Leinster Edenmore Boxing Club
92+kg Michael O’Donovan Munster De Courcey ABC
92+kg Franco Ernjes Munster Saviours Crystal Boxing Club
92+kg Adam Olaniyan Leinster Jobstown Boxing Club
