Olympians lead Irish charge in European Boxing championships

An eight-strong Ireland team has been named for the 2014 European Union Men’s Elite Championships in Bulgaria which starts on Friday.

Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympians John Joe Joyce and Darren O’Neill will wear the Irish welterweight and light-heavyweight vests in Sofia.

O’Neill, who captained the Irish side at the London Olympics, has moved up a notch from middleweight to light-heavyweight in place of three-time AIBA World Elite, Youth and Junior medallist Joe Ward, who picked up a hand injury in training.

O’Neill and David Oliver Joyce, who will line out at lightweight in the Bulgarian capital, won two of three gold medals for Ireland at the last European Union Men’s Elite Championships in Denmark in 2009.

Con Sheehan won the third gold medal in Denmark.

Irish squad:

49kg Hughie Myers (Ryston)

60kg David Oliver Joyce (St Michael’s Athy)

64kg Dean Walsh (St Joesphs/St Ibars)

69kg John Joe Joyce (St Michael’s Athy)

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise)

81kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)

91kg Gary Sweeney (Olympic)

91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)