Fab Five – Another successful day for Ireland at the European Junior Championships
Ireland enjoyed another successful day at the European Junior Championships on Monday.
The young team followed up the seven wins of Sunday with five victories in Sarajevo.
Michael O’Reilly, Jason Donoghue, Oliver Plachta, Desmond Sweeney and John Mongans all had their had raised in the prestigious tournament.
St Paul’s 48kg O’Reilly, openned his campaign, against Rubin Clarkson of Scotland, and progresses to the Last 16, following a 5-0 decision. Judges scored the bout 30:27; 30:27; 29:28; 30:27; 30:27.
Olympic Mullingar’s Donoghue was between the ropes against Georgia’s Giorgi Kilasonia – his win was as decisive as his team-mate, a UD on a scoreline of 27:30; 28:29; 28:29; 27:30; 28:29.
In Ring B’s Bout 2, 46kg Plachta of St Francis, also faced Georgian opposition, in Danieli Ogli Ramiz. The Limerick boxer progresses further by virtue of a 3-0 decision. Judges scored the bout 29:27; 29:27; 28:28; 29:27; 28:28.
Lightweight Sweeney, Olympic C debuted against Scotland’s Oscar Steele. Desmond won through to the Last 16 with a 3-2 split decision win -29:28; 28:29; 27:30; 29:28; 29: 28. In the subsequent bout, 81+kg Johnny McGinley of Gateway took on Bogdan Kajetan Bajzert of Poland. His bout ended with a second-round RSCI, following an injury sustained by the Irish boxer.
Cathal Myers, Sligo City’s 70kg was another to exit the tournament, he met Mamuka Kakabadze of Georgia, and lost a very tight bout. He came out the wrong side of a 3-2 split. The final scores: 28:29; 29:28; 27:30; 28:29; 29:28 In Bout 10 of the same ring and session, Rathkeale’s Mongans contested against Hungary’s Alex Damjan. The 80kg fighter made it two Limerick wins for the day, winning 5-0. Judges scored the bout 27:30; 27:30; 27:30; 26:30; 25:30.
75kg William Heaphy, Golden Gloves M put in a valiant performance against Armenia’s Samvel Siramargyan. The 5-0 decision went to his opponent on a scoreline of 30:25; 30:25; 30:24; 30:25; 30:25.
370 boxers are contesting the championships. 28 federations, in all, are competing at the tournament: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, England, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Turkey.
IABA last contested this tournament in 2022 and returned with a massive haul of ten medals: 2 gold, 4 silver and 4 bronze. Ava Henry (Docklands) and Tadhg O’Donnell (Four Kings) claimed gold; silvers were won by Grace Conway Dowling (Tredagh), Niamh Keogh (Olympic L), Mary McDonagh (Sliabh Luachra) and Jamie Collins (Drimnagh). Bronze medalists were Alfie Jordan (Olympic L), John Harty (Portlaoise), Cillian Reilly Lennon (Jobstown) and Sophie Curley Gray (Dealgan).
Team
46kg Abby Molloy, Sacred Heart, Dublin
48kg Isabel Nolan, Santry
50kg Paige Nickles, Banbridge
52kg Mary Ann Furlong, Na Fianna
54kg Molly Doyle, Templemore
57kg Kayleigh Byrne, Gorey
60kg Sarah McTiernan, Drumsna
63kg Kaysie Joyce, Clonmel
66kg Cassie Henderson, Phoenix
70kg Chloe Poleon, Dunboyne
75kg Carly Norris, Santry
80kg Alanna Kenny, Clonmel
46kg Oliver Plachta, St Francis
48kg Michael O’Reilly, St Paul’s, Waterford
50kg Kalib Walsh, Wexford
52kg Eddie Corcoran, Olympic L
54kg Jason Donoghue, Olympic L
57kg Joseph Mihai, Crumlin
60kg Desmond Sweeney, Olympic C
63kg Edward Harty, Portlaoise
66kg John Donoghue, Olympic L
70kg Cathal Myers, Sligo City
75kg William Heaphy, Golden Gloves M
80kg John Mongans, Rathkeale
81+kg Johnny McGinley, Gateway
Team Manager: Peter O’Donnell
Team Manager: Karen Robins
Coach: Brian Barry
Coach: Paul Simpson
Coach: Alan Donnellan
R&J: Barry Tucker.
