Lawless and Lavin to lead Team Ireland into battle at the European Junior Championships
Current Irish champions Rachael Lawless, pictured above, and Eoghan Lavin will lead Team Ireland into battle at the European Junior Championships in Romania this week.
The Portlaoise BC and Ballyhaunis BC pair have been named team captains for the tournament which begins in Galati on Friday.
The squad finished up their final training camp in Dungarvan on Monday and leave for Romania tomorrow afternoon.
Lawless and Lavin, a European Schoolboy silver medallist, are no strangers to be being there or thereabouts when Continental plaudits are being handed out as they both reached the quarter-finals at the 2018 European Juniors but were edged on split decisions.
Three-time Irish champion Lawless said it was a tremendous honour for her to be named Irish skipper and thanked her family, the Portlaoise BC and club coaches for their input into a career which has seen her secure a hat-trick of National titles.
Likewise with Lavin and the Ballyhaunis BC teen believes the experience of competing internationally will stand to the Irish team at the 2019 edition of the tournament.
“It’s a great honour to be captain this year. It’s a brilliant team so it’s not a very hard job to captain them, said the seven-time Irish champion, pictured above.
“Almost everyone has international experience from the schoolboys and juniors last year. Me and Mickes Donoghue has been away both years. A lot of boxers already have European medals so they know what they have to do to get them. It’s hard work but we are all enjoying it and it’s a nice little boost for Romania next week.
“Everyone is working hard, training going well and everyone is looking forward to it. I can’t wait for them. I have silver from two years ago and I lost out on a medal last year.
Ireland finished in third spot in the medals table at the 2018 European Juniors and the Irish male captain reckons the boys and girls in green can impress again.
“I know I have a hard weight but I’m excited for it and I’m looking forward to the challenge, he added.
“I think we have a good chance this year to finish very high on the medals table and hopefully one of them will be my medal. I have a lot more experience at international level now and I feel like it will stand to me during the competition so hopefully, everything goes well.”
European Male and Female Junior Championships Galati, Romania, May 22/June 2
Irish squad
Female
46kg Breda Quilligan (Rathkeale)
48kg Robyn Kelly (Ballynacargy)
50kg Marie Marine-Gabriel (Mulhuddart)
52kg Rachael Lawless (Portlaoise) Cpt
54kg Aaliyah Butler (Monivea)
57kg Nicole O’Sullivan (Corinthians)
60kg Shelby Myres (Crumlin)
63kg Winnie McDonagh (Neilstown)
66kg Tegan Farrell (Arklow)
70kg Shauna Doherty (Sacred Heart, Dublin)
75kg Dearbhla Tinnelly (Clann Naofa)
80kg Margaret Stokes (Callan)
Male
46kg Dylan Eagleson (St Pauls, Antrim)
48kg Michael Donoghue (St Michaels Athy)
50kg Jason Nevin (Olympic Mullingar)
52kg Donagh Keary (Rathfirlnd)
54kg Mustafa Edris (Monkstown, Dublin)
57kg Martin McCullough (Gleann)
60kg Michael McCarthy (Mayfield)
63kg Thomas King (Ratoath)
66kg Taylor Guiney (Drimngh)
70kg Eoghan Lavin (Ballyhaunis) Cpt
75kg Mark Duffy (Charlestown)
80kg John Ward (Brosna)
80+kg Thomas McDonnell (Docklands)
IABA President: Dominic O’Rourke
Team managers: Eugene O’Kane Snr and Anne Murphy
Coaches: Billy McClean, James Doyle, Gerard McDaid, John Gallagher, Aoife Hennigan
R&J: Loughlin Gannon
