Agony and Ecstasy for Irish fighters at World Youth Championships
There were contrasting fortunes for Ireland’s light flyweights at the World Youth Championships in Budapest this weekend.
Jude Gallagher and Daina Moorehouse, both first-year Youths, were both in quarter-final action in the Hungarian capital and came away with one bronze medal and one broken heart.
Tyrone’s Gallagher dominated Brazilians Rafael Bianchi yesterday evening to ensure he will be on the podium before Wicklow wonder Moorehouse was very unlucky to be beaten by Thai Nillda Meekoon this afternoon.
Gallagher utterly dominated his quarter, with the Irish men’s team captain winning a wide unanimous decision after outworking, outmuscling, and outclassing his South American opponent.
The win sees the Two Castles puncher ensure a bronze medal to go with the bronze he won at the European Youths in April as he rained in constant shots on the PanAmerican silver medallist.
Newtownstewart buzzsaw Gallagher will now box Thailand’s Thitisan Panmod and there may be a bit more meaning added to the fight following this afternoon.
In the last hour, Bray’s Moorehouse was left in tears following a defeat to Thai Niilda Meekoon in a fight the European Youth and Junior gold medallist had arguably gotten edged.
Giving up height, as usual, southpaw Moorehouse looked to bob and weave her way inside in a scrappy opener. Meekoon enjoyed a better second, with her long right hand finding it’s range but Moorehouse still was the aggressor.
The Enniskerry fighter pushed the action throughout and, while she was getting clipped on the way in, the Irish talent looked to have outworked her Thai opponent – only for the judges to disagree and Moorehouse to be left despondent.
Edenderry middleweight Lauren Kelly is the next Irish fighter in action, boxing French middleweight Tallya Brillaux this afternoon in the Last 16. Both boxers won bronze at the European Youths earlier this year.
AIBA World Men’s and Women’s Youth Championships Budapest, Hungary
Tuesday August 21st
Last 32
57kg:Dearbhla Rooney (Ireland) lost to Panpatchara Somnuek (Thailand) 2-3
52kg:Dean Clancy (Ireland) lost to Asa Stevens (USA) 2-3
Wednesday August 22nd
Last 32
56kg Brandon McCarthy (Ireland) lost to Kumar Akash (India) 0-5
Last 16
48kg Daina Moorehouse (Ireland) beat Marta Lopez Del Arbol (Spain) 4-1
Thursday August 23rd
Last 32
51kg Caitlin Fryers (Ireland) lost to Kittiya Nampa (Thailand) 1-4
Last 16
49kg Jude Gallagher (Ireland) beat Renuex Zhao (China) 5-0
Friday August 25th
Q/Final
49kg Jude Gallagher (Ireland) beat Rafael Bianchi (Brazil) 5-0
Sunday August 26th
Q/Final
48kg Daina Moorehouse (Ireland) lost to Nillda Meekoon (Thailand)
Last 16
75kg: Lauren Kelly (Ireland) v Tallya Brillaux (France)
Tuesday August 28th
S/Finals
49kg Jude Gallagher (Ireland) v Thitisan Panmod (Thailand)
Irish squad
48kg Daina Moorhouse (Enniskerry)
49kg Jude Gallagher (Two Castles) (Bronze, at least)
51kg Caitlin Fryers (Immaculata)
52kg Dean Clancy (Ballinacarrow)
56kg Brandon McCarthy (St Michael’s Athy)
57kg Dearbhla Rooney (Sean McDermott’s)
75kg Lauren Kelly (St Brigid’s Edenderry)
Team managers: Stephen Connolly and Tara Mari Robins
Head coach: Billy McClean
Coaches: Michael Carruth, Michael Mongan, Anita Just
Physio: David Cooke
