Perfect day for four-midable Irish team at European Schoolboys Championships
Team Ireland claimed four wins out of four today at the European Schoolboys Championships in Valcea as even ore young talents moved into medal contention.
The Last 16 bouts continued in Romania, and the Irish youngsters would dominate in ring A, with Michael Donoghue, Jake Charles, Patrick Donovan, and Cain Lewis all claiming impressive wins.
Michael Donoghue kicked the session off with a classy win versus England’s Jack Dryden in the 38.5kg class, the lowest at the championships. The St Michael’s Athy southpaw gave a brilliant display of counter-punching to edge a split decision against the relentless Dryden.
Donoghue will now face Radoslav Rosenov of Bulgaria for bronze in Saturday’s quarter finals.
Mullingar Elite’s Jake Charles got stronger as his fight went on and eventually stopped Moldovan Vadim Ustinov. in the third. The Eastern European made a strong start, but the 41.5kg Irishman quickly gained control and forced a count in the second before two more in the third.
Charles boxes Slovenian Jure Zgajner, who received a bye, in the last eight on Saturday
Olympic BC 50kger Patrick Donovan showed supreme skill to ease his way into medal contention. The Galway southpaw scored constantly with his beautiful jab and moved well to take a unanimous decision win over Montenegrin Pavle Bozovic.
Donovan takes on Ukrainian Yunis Guliiev in Saturday’s quarter finals
In the last bout of the day, Ballymun’s Cain Lewis blasted his way to a first round stoppage over Croatian Jure Bratovich at 52kg, forcing a standing count before putting the Balkan down and out.
Lewis, who also competed in last year’s tournament in Croatia, will box for bronze on Saturday against Lukasz Perkowski of Poland.
Watch back all the Irish boxers in European Schoolboys action today on the livestream below:
Three more Irish boxers are in action tomorrow as they look to join the 15 already in the quarter finals
European Schoolboys Championships 2017, Valcea, Romania July 17th/26th
July 18th (Last 16)
65kg Aaron McElligott (Ireland) beat Samuel Florin-Cimpoesu (Romania) 5-0
July 19th (Last 16)
46kg Patrick Sweeney (Ireland) beat Einoras Sinkevicus (Lithuania) TKO2
48kg Shamie McDonagh (Ireland) beat Beka Tserediani (Georgia) 5-0
56kg James Whelan (Ireland) beat Barga Entika (Hungary) 5-0
62kg Danny McHugh (Ireland) lost to Marcus Ellis (England)
July 20th (Last 16)
38.5kg: Michael Donoghue (Ireland) beat Jack Dryden (England) split
41.5kg Jack Charles (Ireland) beat Vadim Ystonov (Moldova) TKO3
50kg Patrick Donovan (Ireland) beat Pavle Bozovic (Montenegro) 5-0
52kg Cain Lewis (Ireland) beat Jure Bratovich (Croatia) TKO1
July 21st (Last 16)
44.5kg Cahir Gormley (Ireland) v Gabriel Paynarov (Bulgaria)
54kg Sean Roche (Ireland) v Ersun Goktur (Turkey)
59kg Eoghan Lavin (Ireland) v Kamil Urbaniak (Poland)
July 22nd (Q/Finals unless stated)
38.5kg: Michael Donoghue (Ireland) v Radoslav Rosenov (Bulgaria)
40kg Brooklyn Saunders (Ireland) v Yaslin Farell (Germany)
41.5kg Jack Charles (Ireland) v Jure Zgajner (Slovenia)
43kg Cory Byrne-Dunbar (Ireland) v Abdullah Karpuz (Turkey)
46kg Patrick Sweeney (Ireland) v Vladyslv Vaskovskyi (Ukraine)
48kg Shamie McDonagh (Ireland) v Aleksandr Zyrianov (Russia)
50kg Patrick Donovan (Ireland) v Yunis Guliiev (Ukraine)
52kg Cain Lewis (Ireland) v Lukasz Perkowski (Poland)
56kg James Whelan (Ireland) v Kosta Simeonov (Bulgaria)
65kg Aaron McElligott (Ireland) v Yahor Simakou (Belarus)
68kg John Ward (Ireland) v Szyman Szyma (Poland)
72kg Sean Walsh (Ireland) v Alam Kudic (Croatia)
76kg Darragh Farrell (Ireland) v Borna Loncaric (Croatia)
80kg Jordan Ward (Ireland) v Arten Buiru (Ukraine)
90kg Thomas McDonnell (Ireland) v Hovhan Papazyan (Armenia)
Irish squad
38.5kg Michael Donoghue (St Michaels Athy)
40kg Brooklyn Saunders (Ballybough)
41.5kg Jake Charles (Mullingar Elite)
43kg Cory Byrne-Dunbar (St Aidans)
44.5kg Cahir Gormley (Maydown Olympic)
46kg Patrick Sweeney (Olympic)
48kg Shamie McDonagh (St Pauls Wat)
50kg Patrick Donovan (Olympic)
52kg Cain Lewis (Ballymun)
54kg Sean Roche (Donore)
56kg James Whelan (Dublin Docklands)
59kg Eoghan Lavin (Ballyhaunis)
62kg Danny McHugh (Two Castles)
65kg Aaron McElligott (Cashen Vale)
68kg John Ward (Brosna)
72kg Sean Walsh (Trojan)
76kg Darragh Farrell (St Josephs Edenderry)
80kg Jordan Ward (Bay City)
