Nevin and McCullagh bow out
Irelands quest for a medal at the European Junior Boxing Championships ended in disappointment yesterday following quarter-final defeats for John Joe Nevin and Mark McCullagh in Sombor Serbia.
McCullagh, from the Cairn Lodge club in Belfast, was beaten 24-12 by England's Mike McGuire, and Nevin, from the Cavan BC, was stopped on the 20-point rule in round three by Russian Malik Alojan.
Nevin and McCullagh's exit brings the curtain down on Irelands involvement in the tournament following defeats to Con Sheehan, Michael Collins and Anthony Cacace.
Clonmel heavyweight Sheehan lost his quarter final bout to Olig Teifanov from the Ukraine, while Collins and Cacace bowed out at the last sixteen stage.
Meanwhile, IABA High Performance Director High Performance Director Gary Keegan is pleased with the progress the Irish squad are making at their training camp and tournament in the Ukraine this week.
The IABA have a nine man squad at a training camp and box-off in Maripol which Keegan believes will play a vital part in their preparations for next Octobers World Championships in Chicago which will also act as Olympic qualifiers.
Flyweight Conor Ahern got yesterdays session off to a flying start after he dropped Ukrainian Andrey Shevchuk to march into the semi finals of the Maripol box-off.
But light heavyweight Ken Egan is out after losing 16-13 to Sherzod Abdurahmanov despite forcing the ex Uzbekistan Olympian into two standing counts.
Ahern, from the Baldoyle club in Dublin, floored Shevchuk with a peach of a right in the first round to advance to the last four along with Roy Sheahan, Darren O'Neill, and Darren Sutherland.
St Michael's Athy welterweight Sheahan edged out Semian Fisinchuk from the Ukraine 11-9, and Paulstown Kilkenny middleweight O'Neill beat Turkeys Omer Ayodgan 17-4.
St Saviours Dublin middleweight Sutherland completely outclassed Artur Zlatopolsky on the 20 point rule in round three (21-1).
But lightweight Eric Donovan was beaten 17-9 by Shahin Imranov from Azerbaijan, and featherweight David Oliver Joyce lost 25-10 to Ukrainian Dmiitriy Bulenkov.
Ryan Lindberg lost his 54Kg clash with Samiv Mamedou from Azerbaijan 33-23, and John Joe Joyce was beaten 10-3 by Barhad Aber also from Azerbaijian. Super heavyweight Cathal McMonagle was beaten 6-1.
Keegan said: "We travelled here to expose the squad to tough conditions and world class opposition and we've certainly got that as it is twenty nine degrees in the Stadium and thirty five degrees under the ring lights.
"Everything is targeted toward the World Championships in Chicago and this trip will play a crucial part in our preparations."
The IABA will announce their squad for the World Championships after the Ukrainian trip.
