Turkish delight as Irish sextet move closer to Euro glory

IRELAND’S Elite boxers are on the brink of claiming another record haul at the European Championships in Turkey one year after winning five medals in Moscow.

Joe Ward, John Joe Nevin, Ray Moylette and Darren O’Neill joined Michael Conlon and Willie McLaughlin in the last-eight following wins yesterday. All six are just one win away from claiming at least bronze. AIBA World Youth champ Ward, who was making his European debut on Monday, advanced following a 10-7 win over Estonia’s Ainar Karlson in Turkey yesterday.

Monday’s light-heavyweight clash was a repeat of the 2010 European quarter-final between Ken Egan and Karlson which Egan won 7-4.

Ward, 17, will now meet Italian puncher Fiori Simeno today and he’s just one win away from claiming at least bronze in only his eighth senior fight.

Meanwhile, Cavan bantamweight John Joe Nevin registered a 15-10 win over Nikoloz Izoria of Georgia and Moylette edged out Serbian light-welter Ljubomir Marjanvic 17-16 in a 33-point thriller yesterday.

Both boxers will meet Russian opponents today, and O’Rourke believes that the 56kg and 64kg last-eight duels could go right down to the wire in the Turkish capital.

Irish captain Darren O’Neill hammered Victor Cotiujanschi of Moldova. The Kilkenny southpaw, a silver medal winner at the 2010 European Championships, meets the Ukraine’s Dmytro Mytrofanov today.

“Ray was involved in a high scoring contest with the Serbian lad but he showed good defence throughout, although it was very tight in the end,” said O’Neill.

“John Joe got us off to a winning start and Ray and Joe followed that up.”

Donegal-born super-heavyweight Cathal McMonagle, who boxes out of the Holy Trinity BC in Belfast, lost 22-18 to England’s Anthony Joshua last night.