Amy Broadhurst strikes gold

Amy Broadhurst topped an impressive haul for Irish boxing from three European Elite, Youth and Junior tournaments this summer in Hungary on Saturday.

The Dundalk southpaw won European Youth featherweight gold in Keszthely after beating Italy’s Francesca Matussciello on a majority decision.

Orla Garvey, a team mate of Broadhurst’s at the Dealgan BC, and Shauna O’Callaghan won Junior silver to add to the six bronze medals won at the tournament.

“The entire squad were magnificent,” said a delighted Irish coach Liam Brereton.

“We were using a squad of eighteen and nine won medals and with a little bit of luck it could have been more.”

The total haul for Irish boxing from European Elite Games, European Elite and European Youth and Junior competition since June is five gold, three silver and eight bronze.

Katie Taylor, Michael Conlan, Joe Ward, Michael O’Reilly and Broadhurstwon gold in Azerbaijan, Bulgaria and Hungary.

Broadhurst, who was controversially denied European Youth gold in Italy last year, reckons her eight-week training camp paid off.

“It was all worth it, European champion for the third time, went through so much over the last eight weeks,” said the ex European and European Union Junior champion.

Meanwhile, Kildare’s Dominic O’Rourke, Pat Ryan of Portlaoise and Mayo’s Joe Hennigan are the three nominees for the Presidency of the Irish Amateur Boxing Association (IABA).

The new IABA President will be unveiled at the IABA National Convention in Ennis on October 4.

Tommy Murphy, the current IABA President, is stepping down.