A tough opening day for Team Ireland at the 77th Strandja Memorial Tournament, but three key wins picked up along the way.
A statement win for 70kg Terry McEntee, who took on Ahmet Pekel of Turkey. Terry battled back from a 4-1 1st round score against him, to claim the second unanimously and then the bout. Judges scored the contest 30:27; 29:28; 29:28; 29:28; 29:28. He is back on action on Thursday, contesting his Last 16 bout against Kaian Oliveira Reis, who was the UD winner today over Romana’s Daniel Adrian Griogorie
77th Strandja debut win for 70kg Jon McConnell. Jon took on Italy’s Gianluigi Malanga and came away with the 4-1 split decision win on a scoreline of 30:27; 29:28, 29:28; 28:29; 30:27. . He boxes his Last 16 bout against Kazakhstan’s Mukhammedsabyr Uulu Bazarbay on Thursday. An assured opening performance by 80kg Josh Olaniyan – who was the 5-0 winner over Allahverdiyev Murad of Azerbaijan in their Last 32 contest. The final scores: 28: 29; 28:29; 27:30; 27:30; 27:30. Josh is back in action in Wednesday’s Evening Session, contesting his Last 16 bout against Dimeji Shittu of England.
Not to be for Louis Rooney in the first contest of the opening day. He contested strongly against strongly an agile and robust opponent: Bilhalhabashi Nazarov of Azerbaijan in a 50kg Last 16 bout.
The 4-1 decision went to the Azerbaijan boxer on a scoreline of 30:27; 30:27, 28:29, 29:28; 30:27. Not to be today, either, for Patsy Joyce. He contested a tricky, high-tempo Strandja Last 32 bout against Kazakhstan’s Timur Kabdeshov, and the 5-0 decision went to his opponent. 30:27; 29:28, 30:27; 30:27; 30:27.
A brave and battling performance by Adam Hession. The Monivea BC boxer took on Armenia’s Artur Bazeyan in a 60kg Last 32 encounter, and the 4-1 decision went to his opponent. Judges scored the bout 28:29, 29:28; 28:29; 27:30; 27:30 while Jude Gallagher exits Strandja on the narrowest of margins, a dreaded 3-2 split. The Tyrone man contested strongly against Mongolia’s Buyandalai Bayarkhuu in a tight, physical bout but it wasn’t to be on this occasion. Judges scored the bout 29:28; 28:29; 29:28, 28:29; 28:29. And not to be for 80kg Kelyn Cassidy in Sofia. He contested his Last 32 bout against Brazil’s Wanderley De Souza Pereira. The referee stopped the contest within the first minute of the second round. At the declaration, the win was described as a KO for the Brazilian boxer.
In all, 209 men and 129 women are contesting the tournament, Europe’s oldest multi-nations competition. Team Ireland is comprised of 2025 World bronze medalists Patsy Joyce (55kg), Olympian Grainne Walsh (65kg), double Olympian Michaela Walsh (57kg) and Paris Olympians Daina Moorehouse (50kg), Jennifer Lehane (54kg), Jude Gallagher (60kg), Dean Clancy (65kg) and Jack Marley (90kg). Also named European medalists Louis Rooney (50kg), Caitlin Fryers (51kg), Niamh Fay (57kg) and Evelyn Igharo (70kg). The team includes boxers from clubs in 9 counties: Antrim (4), Dublin (8), Galway (1), Leitrim (1), Louth (1), Tyrone (1), Waterford (1), Westmeath (2) and Wicklow (1).
Ring A, Afternoon Session Results | Ring B Afternoon Session Results |
Ring A Evening Session Results | Ring B Evening Session Results |
Day Two
Another bumper day in Sofia, with 9 Team Ireland boxers between the ropes.
51kg Daina Moorehouse is the first in action. She takes on Mungunsaran Balsan of Mongolia in Bout 2 of Ring A’s Afternoon Session. In Bout 8 of the same ring and session, fellow flyweight Caitlin Fryers contests against Kazakhstan’s Anita Adisheva. Both are Last 16 contests. In Bout 11, 70kg Evelyn Igharo opens her campaign against England’s Chantelle Reid.
Over in Ring B’s Afternoon Session, 54kg Jenny Lehane begins her tournament in Bout 4, against Helen Jones of Wales. Five bouts later, in Bout 9, 60kg Kellie McLoughlin boxes veteran Turkish boxer Gizem Ozer.
65kg Dean Clancy is in action in Ring A’s Evening Session, and takes on Turkey’s Refik Enes Ciftci in Bout 3. Six bouts later and also contesting at 65kg, Jason Nevin boxes Yertugan Zeinulinov of Uzbekistan. In the subsequent contest, Bout 10, heavyweight Jack Markey steps between the ropes to meet Brazil’s Isaias Santos Ribeiro Filho
And cruiserweight (85kg) Nathan Ojo opens Evening Session proceedings in Ring B’s Evening Session, taking on Uzbekistan’s Akmaljon Isroilov
Day Two’s schedule is available here
Watch
The Bulgarian Boxing Federation is expected to stream the tournament, live, on it’s YouTube channel
Links, per ring and session, are generally published on the day of boxing.
Morning sessions begin at 10am, Irish time, while Evening Sessions will get underway at 3pm.
Team Ireland
50kg | Louis Rooney, Star BC, Belfast
51kg | Daina Moorehouse, Enniskerry BC, Wicklow
51kg | Caitlin Fryers, Immaculata BC, Belfast
54kg | Jennifer Lehane, DCU BC, Dublin
55kg | Patsy Joyce, Olympic BC, Mullingar
57kg | Michaela Walsh, Holy Family GG, Belfast
57kg | Niamh Fay, Phoenix of Ballyboughal BC, Dublin
60kg | Jude Gallagher, Two Castles OBA, Tyrone
60kg | Adam Hession, Monivea BC, Galway
60kg | Kellie McLoughlin, St. Catherine’s BC, Dublin
65kg | Dean Clancy, Sean McDermott BC, Leitrim
65kg | Jason Nevin, Olympic BC, Mullingar
65kg | Grainne Walsh, St. Mary’s BC, Tallaght
70kg | Jon McConnell, Holy Trinity BC, Belfast
70kg | Terry McEntee, DCU BC, Dublin
70kg | Evelyn Igharo, Clann Naofa BC, Louth
80kg | Josh Olaniyan, Jobstown BC, Dublin
80kg | Kelyn Cassidy, Saviours Crystal BC, Waterford
85kg | Nathan Ojo, Esker BC, Dublin
90kg | Jack Marley, Monkstown BC, Dublin
Support Staff
Team Lead & Head Coach | Damian Kennedy
Coach | James Doyle
Coach | Jay Delaney
Coach | Ross Hickey, Grangecon BC, Wicklow
Coach | Paul Simpson, Saviours Crystal BC, Waterford
Coach | Brendan Irvine, UUJ/ St. Paul’s Belfast
Physio | Rob Tuomey
R&J | Stephen Kelly