THE luck of the draw and some “crazy computer scoring” combined to decimate Ireland’s medal hopes at the European junior championships in Birmingham yesterday.
With 12 wins recorded and seven boxers through to the quarter-final stages, a significant Irish medal haul looked on the cards – but it was not to be at England’s National Indoor Arena.
Only light-middleweight Marvin Lee made it through safely to tomorrow’s semi-final programme – and the guarantee of a bronze at least – and Irish coaches Peter Perry and Dom O’Rourke were furious.
“I just couldn’t believe some of the computer scores. They were crazy,” said Leinster official O’Rourke afterwards in the team’s Cobden Hotel HQ.
“Tommy Sheahan’s bout was touch and go and he lost 13-0. Where’s the logic in that?”
Belfast light flyweight Harry Cunningham (Saints) was ahead going into the last round said O’Rourke but the honours went to France’s Josef Thomas (7-4).
“They could so easily have been coming home with a handful of medals,” said Irish president Breandan O’Conaire.
Results: Light-fly: H Cunningham lost J Thomas (France) 7-4; fly: B Dunne lost K Dihamoldudinov (Russia) 12-4; bantam: J Chisholm lost S Miller (England) 12-8; feather: A Carlyle lost A Kozlovski (Russia) 10-7; light-welter: P Stephens lost A Mishine (Russia) 10-9; light-middle: M Lee bt A Gambarov (Azerbaijan) 13-8; middle: T Sheahan lost H Kilic (Turkey) 13-0.
DERRY have been boosted by the return of Seamus Downey and Gary Coleman to the team’s starting line-up which faces Monaghan in the Ulster Championship first round replay on Sunday.
Downey has successfully shaken off the groin injury which ruled him out of the drawn game in Clones and Coleman, who came on as a late substitute last Sunday, has recovered from a hamstring niggle.
However, there is disappointment for young corner-back Emmett McKeever, who has failed to recover from a dead leg picked up in a hefty tackle with Peter Duffy last Sunday.
There is also frustration for U21 star Sean Martin Lockhart, who is still struggling with a thigh injury picked up in a challenge game four weeks ago.
Derry (SFC v Monaghan): D McCusker; K McKeever, D O’Neill, G Coleman; K Diamond, H Downey, J McBride; A Tohill, D Dougan; G McGill, D Heaney, F McCusker; J Brolly, S Downey, J Cassidy.
Subs: D Hasson, E Muldoon, A McGuckin, K Heaney, R Boylan, R Rocks, G Doyle, E McKeever, SM Lockhart.
MAYOBRIDGE strolled to an easy 1-16 to 0-6 victory over Liatroim in the opening game of the Down SFC in St Patrick’s Park, Newcastle last night.
Midfield, where Shane McMahon and Eoghan Woods held a slight edge over Eamonn Middleton and Jerome McCrickard, was a major factor in the Mayobridge victory especially in the first half.
The Liatroim defence had no answer to the scoring power of Glen McMahon, who finished with 1-5.
Mayobridge scorers: G McMahon (1-5), M Linden, R Coulter, J Coulter, R McConville (0-2), J Coulter (0-1).
Liatroim scorers: D Burns, C Cassidy (0-2 each), D Morgan, A O’Prey (0-1 each).
Ref: M Cole (Rostrevor)
