Taylor makes successful step along the Road to Rio

Olympic champion Katie Taylor beat Martina Schmaranzova of the Czech Republic to book her ticket into the last-eight of the European Olympic qualifiers in Samsun, Turkey this afternoon.

The Bray woman claimed a unanimous decision and will meet Denmark’s Yvonne Rasmussen on Wednesday two wins away from qualifying for her second Olympics.

Dean Walsh bowed out this afternoon. The Wexford light-welter was beaten on a split decision by Lorenzo Sotomayor of Azerbaijan. Irish team manager Joe Hennigan said that they felt that Walsh did enough to get the verdict over the No. 1 seed.

Earlier today, Ceire Smith and Christina Desmond won, with Desmond sensationally beating the Dutch No. 1 seed.

Dean Gardiner and Brendan Irvine are be in action in the evening session which began at 5pm (Irish time).

European Olympic qualifiers Samsun, Turkey

(A & E denotes Afternoon and Evening sessions)

April 9th

Preliminaries

64kg Dean Walsh (Ireland) beat Erik Agataljan (Czech Republic) 3-0

91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) beat Simen Nysater (Norway) 3-0

April 11th

Last 16

51kg Ceire Smith (Ireland) beat Virginia Barankas (Hungary) 3-0

52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) beat Hamza Touba (Germany) 3-0

64kg Dean Walsh (Ireland) lost to Lorenzo Sotomayor (Azerbaijan) 1-2

60kg Katie Taylor (Ireland) beat Martina Schmaranzova (Czech Republic) 3-0

75kg Christina Desmond (Ireland) beat Nouchka Fontijan (Netherlands) 3-0

91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) lost to Mahammadrausl Majidor (Azerbaijan) 0-3

April 12th

Last 16

60kg David Oliver Joyce (Ireland) v Otar Eranosyan (Georgia) (A)

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) v Ilari Kijala (Finland) (A)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) v Gabriel Richards (Sweden) (E)

April 13th

Q/Finals

51kg Ceire Smith (Ireland) v Tetyna Kob (Ukraine)

52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) v Hakan Cigdem (Turkey) or Elie Konki (France)

60kg Katie Taylor (Ireland) v Yvonne Rasmussen (Denmark)

75kg Christina Desmond (Ireland) v Petra Scatmari (Hungary)

Irish squad

Female

51kg Ceire Smith (Cavan)

60kg Katie Taylor (Bray)

75kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgans)

Male

52kg Brendan Irvine (St Pauls)

60kg David Oliver Joyce (AIBA Pro Boxing)

64kg Dean Walsh (St Joesphs/St Ibars)

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)

91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)

Team manager: Joe Hennigan

Coaches: Zaur Antia, Eddie Bolger, John Conlan
Physiotherapist: Julianne Ryan
Sports Psychologist: Gerry Hussey
Doctor: Jim Clover
Performance Analyst: Alan Swanton