European Under-22 Championships – PREVIEW
The Irish team fly out today to Romanian for the European Under-22 Championships.
The second edition of the tournament since it was revived last year, action begins tomorrow in Targu with the draw taking place in the morning followed by preliminary round bouts.
The tournament runs for eight days, finishing with the finals on Sunday April 1st.
For the first time ever, in line with new EUBC policy, a women’s Under-22 championships will run alongside the men’s.
As such, Ireland could have sent up to 20 boxers, however it was decided to send a more compact team of nine fighters.
The panel have spent the past few weeks training at the National Sport Campus in Abbotstown and head to Eastern Europe looking to emulate past Irish medal-winners Jason Quigley and Hughie Myers.
Irish-Boxing.com take a look through the team below:
Men’s Flyweight – 52kg
Conor Quinn
19
Clonard, Belfast
(Back Row, Fourth Right)
International Pedigree: Part of the outstanding Irish Youth team that went to the 2016 Worlds in St Petersburg where he was narrowly eliminated by a Cuban.
Recent Form: Best Young Boxer at the Ulster Seniors in November where he ran Olympian Brendan Irvine very close. Subsequently won the Irish U22s and then took the Elite Senior title via walkover.
TEAM CAPTAIN
Men’s Bantamweight – 56kg
Jordan Moore
19
Glasnevin, Dublin
(Back Row, Fourth Left)
International Pedigree: Another member of the Class of 2016 as well as one of Ireland’s best performing fighters at the European U22s last year.
Recent Form: Growing rapidly, moved up to bantamweight and claimed both the Irish Intermediate and U22 titles in successive months.
Men’s Middleweight – 75kg
Gabriel Dossen
18
Olympic, Galway
(Front Row, Left)
International Pedigree: A late starter internationally, Dossen claimed World and European Youth bronze in 2016 and 2017 respectively.
Recent Form: A weight mishap saw him pull out of the Intermediates and he has temporarily moved to 75kg. Here he has been outstanding, defeating John Joyce and Christopher O’Reilly to take the U22 title.
Men’s Heavyweight – 91kg
Kevin Sheehy
19
St Francis’s, Limerick
(Back Row, Second Left)
International Pedigree: Another member of the 2016 Youths team, Sheehy was eliminated by the Super Heavyweight #1 seed.
Recent Form: This trip to Russia saw Sheehy slim down to 91kg and the teenager impressively won both the Intermediate and U22 titles at this weight before being denied in the final of the Elite Seniors by Kirill Afanasev.
Woman’s Light Flyweight – 48kg
Shannon Sweeney
19
St Anne’s, Mayo
(Front Row, Right)
International Pedigree: Denied by injury at the medal stages of the 2015 Youths.
Recent Form: Red hot. Retained her U22 title in January before going on to win a maiden Elite Senior title last month.
Women’s Flyweight – 51kg
Niamh Earley
19
Ryston, Kildare
(Back Row, Far Right)
International Pedigree: World Junior silver in 2015 with plenty of overseas experience.
Recent Form: Another team member to have recently done an Intermediate and U22 double, Earley then inished runner-up to Céire Smith in last month’s Elite Senior final.
Women’s Featherweight – 57kg
Shauna Blaney
18
Navan, Meath
(Front Row, Centre)
International Pedigree: A European Junior bronze medalist and another with extensive major tournaments to her name.
Recent Form: Made the big jump from flyweight following the World Youths last year and has since won the U22 title following two wins in two days.
Women’s Lightweight – 60kg
Amy Broadhurst
21
Dealgan, Louth
(Back Row, Second Right)
International Pedigree: One of Ireland’s most decorated underage fighters, Broadhurst has won European Youth and Junior gold as well as another Youth silver in addition to an EU Junior gold.
Recent Form: Looked impressive in claiming the Irish U22 title in January and then gave a strong account of herself in the Elite final versus Kelly Harrington.
Women’s Middleweight – 75kg
Aoife O’Rourke
20
Castlerea, Roscommon
(Back Row, Far Left)
International Pedigree: None – yet.
Recent Form: O’Rourke blasted her way to top honours at welterweight in the Intermediates and middleweight in the U22s before claiming the Elite title on a walkover at light heavyweight.
