O’Reilly in Irish team

THE Boxing Council of the IABA selected Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise) on the Irish team for the European Youth Championships which commence in the City West Convention Centre today.

The 18-year-old Portlaoise teenager was dropped from the squad for disciplinary reasons but last week the High Court ordered that he be re-instated. And Saturday’s decision to add him to the team means that he enters the tournament as a gold medal favourite.

Earlier this year he won a gold and scooped the Best Boxer Award at the Brandenburg Youth Cup.

He had an impressive 26-9 win over Karl Brabazon (St. Saviours OBA) who lost to Adam Nolan (Bray) in the final of this year’s senior championships in the semi-finals before losing 14-10 to former EU champion, Roy Sheahan (St. Michael’s, Athy), in the final. That win won Sheahan his place on the team for the world championships.

This morning boxers from a record 38 nations will go to the scales for the European Youth Championships.

IRELAND: Light Flyweight: E. Metclaffe (Crumlin); Flyweight: J. Fitzpatrick (Immaculata); Bantamweight: G. Bates (St. Mary’s); Lightweight: M. McDonagh (St. Mary’s); Light Welterweight: K. Forde ((Monivea); Welterweight: M. O’Reilly (Portlaoise); Middleweight: S. Broadhurst (Dealgan); Heavyweight: J. Morrissey (Sacre Ceour); Super Heavy: T. Conroy (Ballyhaunis).