Runners-up spot for boxers

Irish boxers finished second to Russia in the medals table at the European Schoolboy Championships, which were held in Anapa, Russia, over the past week.

The Irish youngsters (13 and 14 years old) captured a total of three gold, one silver and six bronze, which was a record for Irish boxing at this level and bodes well for the future.

One of the bronze medal winners, Kieran Molloy from Galway in the 56kg class, was edged out in his semi-final by Artur Mamberger from Germany on a 13-9 scoreline, having stopped Israeli boxer Luka Oshvakashvili and the Ukranian representative Zagranichny in the quarter-final.

This was Molloy’s first attempt at international level and he made his place on the Irish team in June when he narrowly defeated Ennis boxer Conor Doyle in a box-off for the place on the team. Doyle a three-times Irish champion, will look to the future and to a possible place on the Irish squad in the next championships.

Another Ennis boxer, Keelan Sexton, captured bronze two years ago when the championships were held in Kazakstan and both boxers are in the elite panel of juvenile contenders for next year’s internationals.