AFTER weeks and months of backstage shadow boxing and jockeying for position, the quest for Olympic qualification and the first real steps on the road to Paris 2024 get under way later this week.
January’s Irish Elite Championships provided a brilliant showcase of the talent among Ireland’s ranks, and laid the foundation for selection of the 12-strong team that travels to Poland on Tuesday, eagerly anticipating the start of the European Games and the continent’s sole Olympic qualifier.
But plenty of hard work has gone on behind closed doors in Abbotstown, with crucial decisions taken following rigorous assessments, sparking appeals and question marks in some quarters, before fine tuning would take place in the familiar haunt of Assisi as business time neared.
On paper, the female team that graces the Nowy Targ Arena is the strongest Ireland has ever sent to an international competition – with Kellie Harrington, Amy Broadhurst, Michaela Walsh and Aoife O’Rourke strongly fancied to secure their spots in Paris, while Daina Moorehouse and Jennifer Lehane also look to be in with a great shout.
That the likes of World light-middleweight champion Lisa O’Rourke, European silver medallist Christina Desmond and European Games bronze medallist Grainne Walsh aren’t part of the team says plenty about the standard set.
The men’s crew - while without the vast range of international experience, and medals, of their female counterparts – pack serious potential.
Dean Walsh came from nowhere to topple Olympic bronze medallist Aidan Walsh and force his way into the 71kg spot, Jack Marley is one of the most exciting talents Ireland has produced since Joe Ward, while Sean Mari, Jude Gallagher, Dean Clancy and Kelyn Cassidy have all shown they are well equipped to compete on this stage.
The draw takes place on Thursday, with the action getting under way on Friday – the qualification standard set at each weight class all that matters when all is said and done as Ireland’s hopefuls go in search of their Olympic dream.
Let the Games begin…
50kg - Daina Moorehouse (Enniskerry)
Hailing from Katie Taylor’s hometown of Bray, Moorehouse is making a mark in the ranks following a glittering underage career, which included European youth and junior golds. Got the better of Belfast’s Caitlin Fryers in a nip and tuck 50kg Irish final, and recently won silver at the Usti nad Labem Grand Prix.
Qualification requirement: Semi-final (top four qualify)
54kg - Jennifer Lehane (DCU)
The Meath teacher has taken a career break to focus on making it to Paris. A former Irish elite champion at 57kg, she also won gold in Usti back in May. An outsider, but has a chance.
Qualification requirement: Semi-final (top four qualify)
57kg - Michaela Walsh (Emerald)
Aiming to reach a second consecutive Olympics, there is little Walsh hasn’t seen and done in a long career with Ireland. Grabbed Commonwealth Games gold last summer, having landed silver on two previous occasions, and will be a strong contender for a featherweight spot in Poland.
Qualification requirement: Semi-final (top four qualify)
60kg - Kellie Harrington (St Mary’s)
Reigning Olympic champion, and the woman to beat at lightweight. Would love the opportunity to defend her crown in Paris and, if performances on the way to claiming European gold last year were a guide, still has plenty left in the tank.
Qualification requirement: Semi-final (top four qualify)
66kg - Amy Broadhurst (St Bronagh’s)
Olympic dream looked in tatters after Irish final defeat to Grainne Walsh but, having moved up to 66kg, has shown star quality by bouncing back impressively. Won gold at the Strandja invitational tournament – no-one will want to be drawn with the Dundalk woman in Poland.
Qualification requirement: Semi-final (top four qualify)
75kg - Aoife O’Rourke (Olympic, Galway)
Made it to Tokyo 2020, the Castlerea woman has since added a second European gold medal, and is expected to be among the front-runners at middleweight.
Qualification requirement: Final (top two qualify)
51kg - Sean Mari (Monkstown, Dublin)
One of the most impressive performers on Irish elite final night, the Dublin soldier landed bronze at the World Military Games and is steadily improving on the international stage.
Qualification requirement: Final (top two qualify)
57kg - Jude Gallagher (Two Castles)
Injury kept him out of the Irish elites in January but given the nod over Adam Hession following High Performance assessments. After emerging as one of the stars of the Commonwealth Games last year, the Newtownstewart man has the chance to add to his burgeoning reputation by grabbing that Olympic spot.
Qualification requirement: Semi-final (top four qualify)
63.5kg - Dean Clancy (Sean McDermott’s)
The Sligo man has steadily improved, claiming European U22 gold in 2021 and beating off some stiff competition to claim the 63.5lg spot on the Irish team. In with a shout of qualification.
Qualification requirement: Semi-final (top four qualify)
71kg - Dean Walsh (St Joseph’s/St Ibar’s)
After almost three years out of the ring, the five-time Irish elite champion stunned Olympic bronze medallist Aidan Walsh before beating Jon McConnell to force his way to the top of the selection conversation. Would be quite the comeback story if the Wexford man qualified.
Qualification requirement: Semi-final (top four qualify)
80kg - Kelyn Cassidy (Saviours Crystal)
Another who has really blossomed in recent years, and won bronze in Strandja earlier this year. One to watch.
Qualification requirement: Semi-final (top four qualify)
92kg - Jack Marley (Monkstown, Dublin)
A European U22 champion and reigning Irish Elite champ, he also came home from May’s Usti nad Labem Grand Prix with gold. A serious talent and, even with only two spots up for grabs, must be in the mix.
Qualification requirement: Final (top two qualify)
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MAC MEN HIT TREBLE AT NATIONAL STADIUM
IMMACULATA hit the treble in Dublin at the weekend as Lee Largey Snodden, Padraig Walsh and Kai Dynes all returned to Belfast with Irish junior cadet titles.
The talented trio impressed between the ropes at the National Stadium, with Snodden proving too good for Sean Kelly of Kilmyshall on the way to a unanimous decision victory in the 37kg decider.
Walsh followed suit in the 46kg final, taking a 4-1 split decision win over Nathan Clarke from the Monkstown club in Dublin, before flyweight Kai Dynes took the spoils in the west Belfast derby showdown with Holy Trinity’s Leland Collins, getting the nod 5-0 from the judges.
Among the other Ulster winners was James Rooney, who defeated Templemore’s Christopher Doyle at 57kg to become Gleann’s last Irish champion after it closed its doors in recent weeks.
Kayla Harris, from the St John Bosco club in Newry, impressed en route to a 5-0 win against Castleblayney’s Kaiden McKenna in the 34kg decider, before Taylor Park (Raphoe) edged Donnacha Beagan (Sean Doran’s) at 35kg.
Banbridge’s Paige Nickles added to her burgeoning reputation with a convincing win over Baldoyle’s Layla Kelly in their 48kg final, while in the boys’ equivalent Conan McSorley – from the Two Castles club in Newtownstewart – had his hand raised after a good fight with another Banbridge boxer, Callum McAlinden, with McSorley getting the nod 3-2.
In the 60kg final, Portadown’s Kajus Dubonvoic proved too strong for Castlerea’s Ned McDonagh, with all five judges scoring the bout in his favour, while Cassie Henderson (Phoenix) showcased her class once more with a dominant display against Monkstown's Robin O'Reilly in the 64kg decider.
