Team Ireland head to Baku for European Games

Team Ireland fly out to Baku, Azerbaijan today for their final training camp ahead of the inaugural European Games in the Azeri capital.

Boxing begins on June 16th in Baku. The Irish squad will train with the host nation and Bulgaria before the start of the Games.

Ireland will compete in 14 sports at the Continental Olympiad.

Click here for boxing schedule at the European Games.

The IABA have named a 12-strong male and female squad for the Games, which will act as a qualifier for the 2015 AIBA World Men’s Elite Championships in Doha, Qatar.

The World Championships will act as the first qualifier for AIBA Open Boxing (AOB – regular amateur boxing) for Rio 2016. The first female AOB qualifier for Rio 2016 will be at the 2016 AIBA World Elite Women’s Championships in Kazakhstan next February.

Olympic champion Katie Taylor will join Team Ireland in Baku later this week.

Irish squad 1st European Games

Female

51kg Ceire Smith (Cavan)

54kg Michael Walsh (Holy Family)

60kg Katie Taylor (Bray)

Male

49kg Brendan Irvine (St Paul’s Antrim)

52kg Myles Casey (St Francis)

56kg Kurt Waker (Canal)

60kg Sean McComb (Holy Trinity)

64kg Dean Walsh (St Josephs/St Ibars)

69kg Adam Nolan (Bray)

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise)

91kg Darre O’Neill (Paulstown)

91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)

Team manager: Joe Hennigan

Coaches: Billy Walsh, Zuare Antia, Pete Taylor, Gerry Storey,