Kristina O’Hara progresses in Italy

Kristina O’Hara advanced to the last-eight of the European Women’s Youth and Junior Championships in Italy yesterday, but Niamh Folan and Siabh Greene bowed out at the last-16 stage.

O’Hara, the current EU Youth champion, pulled out all the stops to book her ticket into the last-eight in Assisi.

The Belfast flyweight beat Turkish 2014 Youth Olympian Istik Neriman on a split decision following a fiery four rounds.

The Turk, who qualified for August’s Youth Olympic in China after winning bronze at the AIBA World Youth Championships in Bulgaria last April,  was on the front foot for most of the contest.

But O’Hara held her composure and picked off some excellent shots, particularly in the second round, of a high-tempo 51kg clash. Finals scores 36-40, 39-37,39-37, with one of the judges not scoring a round to O’Hara…….

Folan was involved in a see-saw battle with Elisaveta Saiushkina of the Ukraine. The Irish middleweight had an excellent opening two rounds and boxed superbly throughout, but the last two frames of today’s 75kg clash were extremely tight. Final scores – 37-39,39-37,37-38.

There was plenty of punches thrown in Greene’s clash with Malys Gangloff also. The French bantamweight started this bout like and house on fire, but Greene repeatedly picked off her shots in the opening two frames.

Both boxers took it in turns to attack in the third and fourth rounds. Green’s greater accuracy and shot selection was commendable, but the judges favoured Gangloff’s industry on an afternoon of contrasting fortunes for Team Ireland.

Seven Irish boxers will be in action todat. Click here for schedule.

European Women’ s Youth and Junior Championships Assisi, Italy

July 20th

Junior

Q/Final

48kg Kelsey Leonard (Ireland) lost to Melissa Hall (England) 0-3

Last 16

50kg Caitlin Sweeney (Ireland) lost to Ebonie Jones (England) 0-3

July 22nd

Q/Finals

46kg Shauna Blaney (Ireland) v Beatrix Kalmav (Hungary)

52kg Natasha Logan (Ireland) v Anna Krsnoperava (Russia)

54kg Shaneen Flynn (Ireland) v Merve Turkmen (Turkey)

57kg Orla Garvey (Ireland) v Vera Kopeikina (Russia)

60kg Shannon Reilly (Ireland) v Filip Madalina (Romania)

63kg Natasha O’Reilly (Ireland) v Mellissa Freitag (Germany)

70kg Aoife Burke (Ireland) v Gitta Cseri (Hungary)

Youth

July 21st

Last 16

51kg Kristina O’Hara (Ireland) beat Istik Neriman (Turkey) 2-1

54kg Siabh Greene (Ireland) lost to Malys Gangloff (France) 0-3

75kg Niamh Folan (Ireland) lost to Elisaveta Saiushkina (Ukraine) 1-2

July 23rd

Q/Finals

48kg Lauren Hogan (Ireland) v Elit Belismen (Turkey)

51kg Kristina O’Hara (Ireland) v Hayley Ward (England)

57kg Amy Broadhurst (Ireland) v Annunziata Esposito (Italy)

60kg Cheyanne O’Neill (Ireland) v Iryna Yaskova (Ukraine)

64kg Ciara Sheedy (Ireland) v Marryeva Jabrailova (Azerbaijan)

Irish squad

Youths

48kg Lauren Hogan  cpt (St Brigid’s Edenderry)

51kg Kristina O’Hara (St George’s)

54kg Siabh Greene (Ballinacarrow)

57kg Amy Boardhurst (Dealgan)

60kg Cheyanne O’Neill (Athlone)

64kg Ciara Sheedy (Aglish)

75kg Niamh Folan (Connemara)

Juniors

46kg Shauna Blaney (Navan)

48kg Kelsey Leonard (Curragh)

50kg Caitlin Sweeney (St Brigid’s Kildare)

52kg Natasha Logan (Ryston)

54kg Shaneen Flynn (Crumlin)

57kg Orla Garvey (Dealgan)

60kg Shannon Reilly (Bray)

63kg Natasha O’Reilly St Brigid’s (Kildare)

70kg Aoife Burke (St Mary’s)

Team Manager Maura Campbell

Coaches: John McCormack, Noreen Quinn, Antoinette Fay, Liam Brereton