Irish Amateur Squad Hits Rotterdam For EUBC Tournament

The Ireland squad arrived in the Netherlands on Saturday ahead of the start of the 2013 EUBC European Youth Championships.

225 boxers from 36 nations have registered to compete in the tournament which begins Monday at the Topsportcentre venue in Rotterdam at 3pm local time.

The IABA have named an eight-strong squad for the Netherlands and Irish coach Billy McClean believes it will be a very competitive Championships. “The squad have prepared very well for the European Youth Championships. Training and sparring have gone very well and hopefully we can bring home some medals from Rotterdam,” he said.

“It will be tough and competitive. Some of the best will be here and nothing will come easy.” The Championships will be contested across ten weight categories from light-flyweight to super-heavyweight.

Canal BC (Antrim) team mates Jason McKay and Kurt Walker, a bronze medalist at the AIBA World Youth Championships, have named in the Irish team.

The Championships begin Monday (August 12th) and runs straight through until Saturday’s finals.

Irish squad 2013 European Youth Championships: 49kg: Jason McKay (Canal) 52kg: Gary Cully (St Davids Nass) 56kg: Kurt Walker (Canal) 60kg: Michael McDonagh (St Pauls, Waterford) 69kg: John Stokes (Mulhuddart) 75kg: Conor Wallace (Sacred Heart, Newry) 81kg: Mike Gallagher (Finn Valley) 91kg: James Hughes (Ryston) Team manager: Mick Darby Coaches: Billy McClean, Tom Hayes, Gerard Farrell Physio: Eoin Naughton.

Tickets for the upcoming Ignite The Light concert at Dublin’s National Stadium, the home of Irish boxing, are on sale.

The Ignite The Light concert is to raise funds for the Quick Park sponsored Irish team for the AIBA World Youth and Junior Women’s Championships in Albena, Bulgaria next month (September 20th/29th).

The Quick Park sponsored Irish Women’s squad claimed 13 medals at the European Union Youth and Junior Championships in Hungary this summer. Olympic champion Katie Taylor and Lianne Murphy won gold and silver in the Elite class at the same tournament.

The legendary Wolfe Tones and Don Baker, The Riptide Movement, Louise Killeen, Kiera Dignam, The Druids, Daniel Murphy and RTE Love/Hate star Patser Murray will perform at the National Stadium.

Alan Gernon will be MC.

Tickets are priced at €25. Special prizes will be raffled on the night.

Doors open at 7pm. Show begins at 8pm