SOME of Ireland’s top emerging talented strutted their stuff in Belfast last week – and Ulster High Performance coach Damien Kennedy hopes his exciting young team can show what they’re made of at the European U22 Championships later this month.
An 18-strong squad was announced last Friday, the day after an Irish select had taken on their Scottish counterparts at the Corpus Christi club in west Belfast.
While the likes of Commonwealth Games-bound Amy Broadhurst took part in elite test matches, rising stars like Dylan Eagleson (St Paul’s), Clepson dos Santos (Holy Trinity) and Brandon McCarthy (St Michael’s, Athy) also got some decent rounds under their belt as they build up to the European U22s in Pore?, Croatia from March 11-24.
Among the other Ulster boxers named in the squad are Antrim light-fly Nicole Clyde and Immaculata 50kg Caitlin Fryers, who has just returned from representing Ireland on the elite stage at the Strandja International tournament in Bulgaria, as well as St John Bosco light-fly Padraig Downey.
Big-hitting Kane Tucker – who took the 86kg crown at the Irish U22s at the start of February -misses out due to injury, and will instead focus his attention on possible Commonwealth Games selection, where he hopes to nail down the 80kg spot on the team heading to Birmingham.
But there is no shortage of talent elsewhere. Aiming to emulate big sister Aoife – a Tokyo Olympian and gold medallist at the Strandja tournament - Lisa O’Rourke showed what she was capable of when beating the highly-rated Evelyn Igharo in the 70kg U22 final, while pocket rocket Daina Moorehouse is fast becoming an established star despite her tender years.
With a relatively short turnaround between the Irish U22s and the European championships, Kennedy says the coaches are well aware of the talent at their disposal, even if they are “still getting to know the team”.
“They had a week off after the Irish U22s, we were in Dublin for two days then had a sparring camp in Belfast for a week with the Scottish lads, including the test matches at Corpus Christi,” he said.
“A lot of this team are just coming into a high performance environment for the first time, so it’s all new to them, and then there’s a quick turnaround from the championships, which isn’t ideal preparation but you have to make the most of what you have.
“It’s an exciting time for us, there’s a lot of new guys coming in. We’ve got a team full of huge potential but, again, it’s as short window from the Irish U22s ending. We have high expectations for a lot of these guys but it’s all about performance level when they get to the competition.
“It’s all experience for a lot of the younger ones in particular - it’s crucial for their development.
In terms of the last couple of years with Covid, a lot of credit has to go to club coaches who kept in touch with their athletes, organised remote training sessions, and obviously athletes bought in.”
Kennedy was involved with the Irish team that went to the last European U22 Championships in Italy last summer – one of the first major international competitions to take place after the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Galway feather Adam Hession claimed silver in Roseto degli Abruzzi, but it was the performances of young Dubliner Jack Marley that really set tongues wagging as the 18-year-old came from relative obscurity to claim bronze.
The Monkstown heavyweight has since added a first Irish elite title, and Kennedy feels he has the potential to shine again less than 12 months on.
“Jack was with us at the last U22s and put in some brilliant performances.
“He had a tough semi-final against the Armenian but it was a huge learning curve. He’s progressed up the ladder quite quickly, he’s still developing physically, but in terms of variety, punch selection, he’s a volume fighter, great creativity, creates beautiful angles and maximises punches from those angles… he’s definitely an exciting talent.”
Dylan Eagleson is another one who has been garnering plenty of attention in recent times, having been among those to catch the eye on U22 finals night.
With some pedigree on the international stage - he boxed for Ireland at the 2019 European Youth Championships - the talented teenager did well to edge out experienced Scot Matthew McHale on last week’s Belfast showcase.
“Dylan’s definitely an exciting talent but, again, we have to be mindful that he’s 18 years of age,” said Kennedy.
“Everything is about development for these boxers, exposing them to the right tournament at the right time. We can’t rush their progression, they’re coming along nicely, the club coaches are doing a great job with them.
“Same with the likes of Caitlin. I’ve been in Dublin with her since she’s come down and she’s got a great attitude in the gym, applies herself really well… she’s like a little sponge, eager to learn. Very explosive, able to identify areas she needs to work on, no matter what you’re showing her, she takes it all in so she can implement it. Caitlin’s an exciting talent.
“At this stage of their career this is where they need to be to help catapult them to the next level. The European U22s is an elite competition, that was evident last year when you saw guys who went to the Olynpic Games later in the summer.
“The quality is always very high, and it’s important for these guys to get exposure to that level.”
IRELAND SQUAD
Women
48kg: N Clyde; 50kg: C Fryers; 52kg: D Moorehouse; 54kg: N Fay; 57kg: Z Breslin; 63kg: E Woods; 66kg: K Rock; 70kg: L O’Rourke; 75kg: A Carabine
Men
48kg: P Downey; 51kg: C dos Santos; 54kg: D Eagleson; 57kg: J McMahon; 60kg: P Loonam; 63kg: S McDonagh; 67kg: B O’Connor
