Ireland confirm team for European Championships

The IABA have confirmed an eight-strong team for this month’s European Women’s Championships which will take place in Sofia, Bulgaria from November 14th.

First however the squad will fly out to England tomorrow to begin a training camp at the Institute of Sport in Sheffield where they will train with England, Wales and Team GB at the Coleridge facility.

Clonmel’s Shauna O’Keefe, who impressed in their National Elite Senior final last year, is the woman to take over from Katie Taylor at lightweight.

There are plenty of medal hopes in the side, including Dublin light welter Kelly Harrington who claimed silver at the World Championships earlier this year, and Cork’s Christina Desmond who grabbed bronze at the World Universities last month.

Donegal’s light flweight champion Donna Barr steps up to flyweight for the tournament, with Lauren Hogan of Edenderry looking to add to her European Youth bronze at 48kg. Welterweight will see Grainne Walsh look to claim silverware following an impressive World championships, while there will be plenty of experience provided by Dervla Duffy and Moira McElliggot.

The 10th edition of the tournament is the final AIBA ranking event of the year.

48kg Lauren Hogan (St.Brigids Edenderry)
51kg Donna Barr (Twin Towns)
54kg Dervla Duffy (Mulhuddart)
57kg Moira McElliggot (St Michael’s Athy)
60kg Shauna O’Keeffe (Clonmel)
64kg Kelly Harrington (Glasnevin)
69kg Grainne Walsh (Sparticus)
75kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgans)

Coaches: Zaur Antia and Eddie Bolger
Strength & Conditioning: John Cleary