Boxing Ireland’s 20-strong Strandja team have learned their path to the podium, with the completion of the draw this evening.
In all, 209 men and 129 women are contesting the tournament, Europe’s oldest multi-nations competition. Held in Sofia, Bulgaria and beginning on February 23rd, Strandja regularly attracts top talent from 5 continents, and this year’s edition is now different.
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)
Byes are few and far between for Team Ireland, and almost half of the men open their accounts on Monday, the first day of the competition.
Daina Moorehouse is joined in the flyweight (51kg) division by 23 other boxers. She begins her campaign against Mungunsaran Balsan of Mongolia on Tuesday. Daina’s fellow 51kg campainger, Caitlin Fryers, is in action on the same day, against Kazakhstan’s Anita Adisheva.
54kg Jenny Lehane is in a weight of 16 boxers and opens her account against Helen Jones of Wales on Tuesday. Niamh Fay & Michaela Walsh, are both contesting at 57kg with 14 other athletes. Both box their first bouts on Wednesday, against Turkey’s Asude Ece Ediz and Italy’s Madalina Grabucea, respectively.
Kellie McLoughlin, competing at lightweight (60kg) opens her account on Tuesday, against veteran Turkish boxer Gizem Ozer. Grainne Walsh is joined at Welterweight (65kg) by 16 boxers. She begins her campaign on Tuesday, against Armenia’s Elida Kocharyan. 12 boxers are contesting at Women’s light-middle (70g), including Evelyn Igharo. She is first in action against England’s Chantelle Reid on Tuesday.
65kg Dean Clancy is in a division with 24 other boxers. He begins his campaign on Tuesday, against Turkey’s Refik Enes Ciftci. Cruiserweight (85kg) Nathan Ojo is in action on the same day, taking on Uzbekistan’s Akmaljon Isroilov and heavyweight Jack Markey has a bye in a division of 20 boxers. He’s first between the ropes on Tuesday, contesting against Brazil’s Isaias Santos Ribeiro Filho
Drawsheets
Day One
8 Team ireland boxers are in action in the opening day.
First up is 50kg Louis Rooney, taking on the 2025 European U19 champ, Bilhalhabashi Nazarov of Azerbaijan in Bout 3 of Ring A’s Afternoon Session. In Bout 10 of the same ring and session, Patsy Joyce make his tournament debut against Kazakhstan’s Timur Kabdeshov.
Over in Ring B’s Afternoon Session, 70kg Terry McEntee meets Ahmet Pekel of Turkey – that Bout 4. In Bout 11 of the same ring and session, 70kg Jon McConnell takes on Italy’s Gian Luigi Malanga
In Ring A’s Evening Session, 60kg Adam Hession steps between the ropes against Armenia’s Artur Bazeyan in Bout 4. Eight bouts later, in Bout 12, 60kg Jude Gallagher makes his tournament debut against Mongolia’s Buyandalai Bayarkhuu.
And in Ring B’s Evening Session, 80kg Josh Olaniyan boxes Allahverdiyev Murad of Azerbaijan. In Bout 13 of the same ring and session, 80kg Kelyn Cassidy takes on Brazil’s Wanderley De Souza Pereira.
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