Nine Irish fighters battle for Euro Junior medals

NINE Team Ireland will fight for medals at the European Junior Championships in Italy today [Friday].

Grace Conway Dowling, Niamh Keogh, Ava Henry, Siofra Lawless, Shauna Crehan, Charlie Valbergs, Sophie Curley Gray, Sarah Murphy and Jodie Byrne will all fight hoping to move to within one win of a prestigious medal.

Conway Dowling gets the action underway in terms of Ireland at Montelsilvano when she fights Ukraine’s Daria Makhrova Bout at 50kg in bout 3 of Ring A’s afternoon session.

54kg representative Keogh boxes her first bout of the competition in bout 7, against Lithuania’s Silvija Karavackaite. Team Co-Captain, lightweight Henry, who defeated the gold medal favourite in her opening bout, meets Turkey’s Sena Zeynep Comart in bout 13.

57kg Lawless is between the ropes and takes on Viktorie Jilkova of the Czech Republic. Her second fight of the tournament is bout 12 of Ring B’s afternoon session. 3 bouts later, 80kg Crehan makes her tournament debut in bout 15 against Poland’s Kornelia Amelia Kostrzewa.

Team Co-Captain, light middleValbergs, opens proceedings in Ring A’s evening session against Hungary’s Krisztian Nileborg. 44-46kg Curley Gray gets her competition underway in bout 4, and hopes to secure a quarter-final berth at the expense of Spain’s Claudia Aparici Alcaniz.

Ireland’s 66kg representative Murphy is also in action in Italy for the first time on Day Four, in bout 8, against home boxer Amina Golinelli. While in bout 9 in Ring B, light middle, Byrne, meets Turkey’s Gul Yonca Yilmaz.

Team Ireland Squad:

Male Boxers:

1. 44-46kg Alfie Jordan (Olympic L)

2. 48kg Jamie Collins (Drimnagh)

3. 50kg Calvin Doyle (Olympic L)

4. 52kg Johnny Harty (Portlaoise)

5. 54kg James Kelly (Holy Trinity)

6. 57kg Callum Carrager (Tredagh)

7. 60kg Ryan Jenkins (Olympic L)

8. 63kg Cillian Reilly (Jobstown)

9. 66kg Tadhg O’Donnell (Four Kings)

10. 70kg Charlie Valbergs (Cherry Orchard). Team Captain

11. 75kg Dylan McShane (St Pauls A)

12. 80kg Jack Teggart Weatherall (St Pauls A)

13. 80+kg Adam Olaniyan (Jobstown)

Female Boxers

1. 44-46kg Sophie Curley Gray (Dealgan)

2. 50kg Grace Conway (Tredagh)

3. 52kg Carlagh Peake (Ballyhaunis)

4. 54kg Niamh Keogh (Olympic L)

5. 57kg Siofra Lawless (Liberty)

6. 60kg Ava Henry (Docklands) Team Captain,

7. 63kg Kayleigh Whelan (Avona)

8. 66kg Sarah Murphy (St Brigids L)

9. 70kg Jodie Byrne (St Teresa’s)

10. 75kg Mary McDonagh (Sliabh Luachra)

11. 80kg Shauna Crehan (Dunboyne)

Team Manager

Martin Fennessy

Coaches

1. Ralph McKay

2. Liam Cunningham

3. Paul O’Toole

4. Linda Morgan

Referee/Judge

Philip Hollowed