Quigley, Myres Advance At European Amateur Tourney

Hugh Myres and Jason Quigley advanced to the 49kg and 75kg finals at the European U/23 Championships following semi-final wins over Israel and Russia in Russia today.

Myres, who boxes out of the Ryston BC in Newbridge, Co. Kildare, beat Israeli light-flyweight David Albrdian 16-8 at the Sports Palace in Kaliningrad.

And Quigley (Finn Valley BC, Donegal) followed that up with a 15-13 decision over Russian southpaw Maksim Timofeev in the middleweight class.

Both Irish boxers are now guaranteed at least silver.

Myres, taking the bout to his opponent and also boxing superbly on the counter, won the first two rounds (5-2,5-3), before claiming the third 6-3 to seal a commanding victory.

The Mullingar man will now meet Karium Sogomonyan in Tuesday’s final.

The Armenian, described by Irish team manager and coach John Finn as an “elusive customer”, beat Russia’s Vasily Egorev in the corresponding semi-final today.

Quigley (Finn Valley BC) is no stranger to winning gold in European competition as he went all the way at the 2009 European Youth Championships in Szczecin, Poland.

The Donegal orthodox used his height and reach advantage to good effect versus Timofeev in today’s last-four duel.
Scoring almost exclusively with right backhands, Quigley took the first two rounds 5-4 and 7-3, but ceded two points after receiving a harsh public warning for holding in the third, a round which Timofeev won 6-3 Germany’s Deniss Radovan awaits in Tuesday’s 75kg final.

Kilkenny southpaw Darren O’Neill, who captained the Irish boxing team at the 2012 Olympics, beat Radovan in Round Robin tournaments in France and Germany in 2011 and 2012.

“We have two into the finals now and we have at least two silver medals. Hopefully, we can make that two gold medals tomorrow, said John Finn.

“Hugh and Jason boxed very well today and their confidence will be high in Tuesday’s finals. It will be a big day for us tomorrow.”