MEDAL ALERTS – O’Rourke and Marley Secure BRONZE at Least
Team Ireland claimed their first two Strandja medals in Bulgaria today.
Olympic-qualified duo Aoife O’Rourke and Jack Marley both secured bronze at the very least with impressive wins.
European Champion, O’Rourke was the first step onto the podium getting one over her old rival Elzbieta Wojcik on a busy day for Irish boxing.
The Roscommon star earned a medal by outpointing the Pole in the 75kg class.
Monkstown’s Marley followed suit, adding another international medal to his collection with his quarter-final win.
The heavyweight assured himself of at least a bronze by defeating Madiyar Saydrakhimov of Uzbekistan.
It wasn’t to be for the two other Irish fighters in quarter-final action on Thursday.
Niamh Fay and Lisa O’Rourke suffered defeats in the 54kg and 66kg weight classes respectively.

Ballyboughal’s Fay battled hard against Sara Cirkovic of Serbia but was on the wrong side of the decision, losing 5-0 on the judge’s cards.
Roscommon footballer and Olympic Galway BC puncher, O’Rourke was outpointed by Aneta Rygielska of Poland and couldn’t step onto the podium after a 4-1 split decision defaeat.
Team
50kg Shannon Sweeney, St. Anne’s BC, Mayo*
54kg Niamh Fay, Phoenix of Ballyboughal BC, Dublin
57kg Michaela Walsh, Holy Family GG, Belfast
66kg Lisa O’Rourke, Castlerea BC, Roscommon
75kg Aoife O’Rourke, Castlerea BC, Roscommon
51kg Rickey Nesbitt, Holy Family BC, Drogheda
57kg Adam Hession, Monivea BC, Galway
63.5kg Dean Clancy, Sean McDermott BC, Leitrim
71kg Eugene McKeever, Holy Family, Drogheda
92kg Jack Marley, Monkstown BC, Dublin
92+kg Martin McDonagh, Crumlin, Dublin.
Draws are available here