The first national titles of 2024 will be won in the next two weeks.
The first tournament of the year, the Irish National Under-18 Championships, will take off the gloves at the National Stadium on Friday night and conclude at the home of Irish boxing on Saturday 20 January.
A tournament famous for highlighting the stars of the future is always eagerly awaited and, as always, this installment promises to be extremely exciting.
That excitement begins even before a punch is thrown with plenty of talking points to fuel fast-paced chatter, some of which we here at Irish-boxing.com take a look at.
NUMBERS ABOVEThe sheer volume of participants is impressive. 149 boxers will compete at all weights with 28 titles at stake. It is not a record-breaking entry list, but a high number of participants always looks good for the tournament and the future. The fact that the participants are spread across different weight classes is also an advantage, as it shows competition at all weights.
A numerical disadvantage is the fact that titles are still won through walkovers. There is no walkover in the men’s tournament and four in the women’s tournament. It will mean no less to the talented quartet of Emily Midwinter, Carlagh Peake, Nell McLoughlin and Shauna Crehan and they have certainly earned their Irish crowns, but boxing will be at its best when each weight class has more than one participant.
FIELD FULL OF TALENTWhile there are considerable numbers, there is certainly no way to offset the numerical feel of the competition.
It is possibly the most decorated U18 field. There are European medalists and world champions among the 149. In fact, in some cases there are international medalists in the same weight category.
It means the national tournament will be packed with world-class fights and there should be a fight or ten of real interest on each of the four days of action.
CONTINUED SHEDDING OF NEW BLOODThe number of champions coming from famous and “powerful” clubs has increased enormously in recent years. It is particularly notable at the underage level and is one of the greatest indicators of the growth of amateur boxing on the island.
While there will no doubt be champions and success for more established clubs this month, there will be new champions from relatively new clubs, and even if they fail to guide fighters into the winner’s circle, their presence is a huge plus. .
Clubs such as Jobstown, Four Kings, Olympic Mullingar, Whitechurch, Cherry Orchard, among others, have enjoyed great success and improved their reputation in recent years. Now others will seek to follow a similar path.
It will be interesting to see how Unit 3 and Treaty Boxing Club, who have links to the professional ranks through Niall Barrett and Shaun Kelly respectively, get on.
END OF FINALSThe draw has paved the way for one of the most anticipated Youth Championship finals of all time.
If Siofra Lawless can find her way past The Hub’s Chloe Keogh in the light welterweight semi-final, a delightful world decider will be set up.
If the queen of the Four Kings can overcome the strong Limerick contender, she will face Ava Henry in the final, meaning two underage powerhouses will clash.
You would have a six-time All-Ireland champion, current under-18 title holder and two-time European gold medal winner in Henry against a four-time Irish champion and current World Junior champion in Lawless fighting for Irish honours.
Not to mention, the excitement wouldn’t go away with a Keogh win, the narrative would just change slightly.
HEAVY LIFTING WITH LIGHT WEIGHTThe winner of the lightweight category will have to work hard before reaching the top of the podium.
There may be bigger names and more star-studded weight classes, but there aren’t any that can compare to 60kg in terms of volume. 20 teenagers have entered the weight, meaning the eventual winner will have to go through four fights to raise his hand.
The most populated women’s weight class is featherweight with nine participants.
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The full list of participants is below:
44kg Emily Midwinter Leinster Rosslare Boxing Club
46kg Ella Thompson Leinster Setanta Boxing Academy 46kg Sophie Curley Gray Leinster Dealgan ABC –
48kg Tiffany Spencer Leinster Jobstown Boxing Club48kg Ide Cashell Leinster Ballymun Boxing Club48kg Keely Stevens Connacht Charlestown Boxing Club first champion48kg Nicole Ahearn Munster Golden Gloves Boxing Club Cork48kg Ciar Mackin Ulster Bryansford Boxing Club48kg Jamie O Rourke Leinster St. Mary’s Boxing Club New Ross
50kg Carlagh Peake Connacht Ballyhaunis Boxing Club
52kg Grace Conway Leinster Tredagh Boxing Academy – 52kg Síofra O Halloran Leinster Ballynacargy Boxing Club
54kg Niamh Keogh Leinster Olympic Boxing Club Mullingar – 54kg Tiegan Farrelly Leinster Dunboyne Boxing Club – 54kg Hannah Masterson Ulster Clonard Boxing Club Belfast – 54kg Aoife Dougan Ulster Armagh ABC – 54kg Nicole Kinsella Leinster St. Mary’s Boxing Club
57kg Meghan Martin Connacht Ballinacarrow Boxing Club57kg Éabha Murphy Leinster Drimnagh Boxing Club57kg Clodagh Caldwell Leinster Dunboyne Boxing Club57kg Chelsey Coiley Ulster Clonard Boxing Club Belfast57kg Siena Fitzpatrick Leinster Jobstown Boxing Club57kg Ali Flood Leinster Monkstown Boxing Club Dublin57kg Chelsea Jordan Munster Muskerry Boxing Club57kg Charlie Mcevoy Leinster Donor Boxing Club57kg Breanna Johnston Leinster Tredagh Boxing Academy
60kg Siofra Kenny Leinster Curadh Boxing Club60kg Georgia Stewart Leinster Darndale Boxing Club
63kg Chloe Keogh Munster The Hub Boxing Club63kg Ava Henry Leinster Dublin Docklands Boxing Club63kg Siofra Lawless Leinster Four Kings Boxing Club
66kg Saoirse McCarthy Leinster St. Pappin’s Boxing Club66kg Kyla Doyle Leinster Whitechurch Boxing Club66kg Sophie Fitzsimons Leinster UNIT 3 Boxing Club Naas66kg Jessica Talbot Leinster Lucan Boxing Club66kg Lani Lafferty Ulster Twin Towns Athletic Boxing Club
70kg Jodie Byrne Leinster St. Teresa’s Boxing Club Bray 70kg Sarah Murphy Leinster St Brigids BC Kildare
75kg Nell Mcloughlin Connacht Eagle Boxing Club
81kg Shauna Crehan Leinster Dunboyne Boxing Club
Men’s Entries44kg Jake Kelleher Leinster RatoathGGBC44kg Jaiden Buckley Leinster St. Teresa’s Boxing Club Bray
46kg Rico Mc Inerney Leinster Portlaoise Boxing Club46kg Lord Cunningham Leinster Dalgan ABC
48kg Scott Thompson Ulster Spartans Boxing Club Ballyclare 48kg Keelin Moore Leinster Setanta Boxing Academy 48kg Aaron Keogh Leinster Drimnagh Boxing Club worlds 48kg Alfie Jordan Leinster Olympic Boxing Club Mullingar 48kg Antonio Bozkaya Leinster EastMeathBC
51kg Jamie Collins Leinster Drimnagh Boxing Club51kg Daniel Phillips Leinster RatoathGGBC51kg Martin Browne Ulster Emerald ABC Belfast51kg John joe Boyle Ulster St. John Bosco ABC Belfast51kg Nico Donohoe Leinster St. Michael’s Boxing Club Athy51kg Peter Mari Leinster Nutgrove Boxing Club
54kg Jamie Mcdonagh Connacht Galway Boxing Club54kg Saul Brown Ulster Cairn Lodge ABC54kg John Connors Leinster Common Quay St Boxing Club54kg William Mongan Leinster Drimnagh Boxing Club54kg Matthew McDonagh Ulster Dukes Boxing Gym54kg Kai Griffin Leinster Avona Boxing Club
57kg Nathan Lynch Connacht Ardagh Crossmolina Boxing Club57kg John Harty Leinster Portlaoise Boxing Club57kg Liam Billy Carroll Leinster Setanta Boxing Academy57kg Ryley Doherty Ulster Raphoe Boxing Club57kg Jamie Graham Ulster Clonard Boxing Club Belfast57kg Liam McNamee Leinster St. Conleth’s Boxing Club57kg Martin McDonagh Leinster Avona Boxing Club57kg Conor Durning Ulster Dunfanaghy Boxing Club
60kg Danny O’Neill Ulster St. John Bosco ABC Newry60kg Tarik Michael Militti Leinster Cabra Boxing Club60kg Jack Johnson Leinster Marble City Boxing Club60kg Jake Daly Ulster DBoxBC60kg Jack McNamee Leinster Olympic Boxing Club Mullingar60kg James Delaney Connacht Olympic Boxing Club Galway60 kg Jerry Connors Leinster Monkstown Boxing Club Dublin60kg Conor Cousins Leinster St. Teresa’s Boxing Club Bray60kg Robert Loscher Leinster Esker ABC60kg Fionn Duffy Ulster St. Joseph’s ABC Derry60kg Rahman Abdulnasser Leinster Ballymun Boxing Club60kg Daniel Mc mahon Leinster Enniskerry Boxing Club60kg Louis Griffin Munster Kilfenora Boxing Club60kg Nojus Samatakus Ulster Portadown community boxing club60kg Armanda s Kreqzde Leinster Avona Boxing Club60kg Callum Carragher Leinster Tredagh Boxing Academy60kg Martin Maughan Leinster Whitechurch Boxing Club60kg William McCarthy Leinster St. Michael’s Boxing Club Athy60kg Aodhan Scott Ulster Glengormley ABC60kg Christopher Stapleton Leinster BallyboughalBC
63.5kg Dylan O Flynn Munster St. Colman’s Boxing Club63.5kg Jack Mc Elroy Ulster Raphoe Boxing Club63.5kg Enda Lavin Connacht Ballyhaunis Boxing Club63.5kg Cian Brown Munster Tipperary Town Boxing Club63.5kg Christy Joyce Leinster Athlone Boxing Club63.5kg Danny Reilly Munster St. Paul’s Boxing Club Waterford63.5kg Ryan Jenkins Leinster Olympic Boxing Club Mullingar63.5kg Josh Kiely Munster St. Francis Boxing Club63.5kg Marcus Barrett Connacht Titans Boxing Club Galway63.5kg Jonathan O Donnell Munster Charleville Boxing Club63.5 kg Elias Dlhos Leinster UNIT 3 Naas Boxing Club63.5 kg Simon Lynch Munster Boxing Club Treaty63.5 kg Nadim Durani Leinster Liberty Boxing Club63.5 kg Fionn Dines Leinster Dealgan ABC
67kg Brian Mongan Connacht Ballyhaunis Boxing Club67kg AARON CARR Leinster St. Catherine’s Boxing Club67kg Ryan Connolly Leinster Setanta Boxing Academy67kg Alex Cronin Leinster Angels Boxing Club67kg Aaron Foster Ulster Cairn Lodge ABC67kg Thomas James Ward Connacht Olympic Boxing Club Galway67kg Dylan Conroy Leinster RatoathGGBC67kg Simon Casey Munster St. Francis Boxing Club67kg Alex Noonan-Carmody Munster Riverstown Boxing Club67kg Martin O Donnell Leinster Ballymun Boxing Club67kg Thomas Tuffy Connacht Knockmore/Foxford Boxing Club67kg Gary O Connor Leinster St. Mary’s Boxing Club New Ross67kg Jason Cotter Munster Cove Boxing Club
71kg Charlie Valsbergs Leinster Cherry Orchard Boxing Club71kg Peter Lawlor Munster De Courcey ABC71kg Reece Buckley Munster Northside Boxing Club71kg Darragh Smyth Ulster Clonard Boxing Club Belfast71kg Yefrem Kudrin Leinster Smithfield Boxing Club71kg Kieran Cunnigham Ulster Carndonagh Boxing Club71kg Grigorii Onipchenko Connacht CelticEBC71kg Tadhg O’ Don nell Leinster Four Reyes Boxing Club71kg Max Rosen Leinster UNIT 3 Naas Boxing Club
75kg Patrick O’ Reilly Leinster Portlaoise Boxing Club 75kg Joey O’Hora Ulster Twin Towns Athletic Boxing Club 75kg Daniel McDonagh Connacht Geesala Boxing Club 75kg darragh lawlor Munster BrianDBC 75kg Danny Tsui Ulster Star of the Sea ABC Faughanvale 75kg Reuben Aigbologa Munster Mayfield Boxing Club 75kg Edward Barrett Connacht Titans Boxing Club Galway
80kg Cathal Nevin Leinster Mullingar Elite Boxing Club 80kg Padraig Corduff Connacht St. Anne’s Boxing Club 80kg John Donaghy Ulster Star of the Sea ABC Faughanvale 80kg Johnny Sweeney Connacht Olympic Boxing Club Galway 80kg Joshua Muckian Ulster Silverbridge ABC 80kg Shay O’ Dowd Leinster Swords Boxing Club
86kg Denis Muntean Leinster Bracken Boxing Club86kg Tom Stokes Leinster Athlone Boxing Club86kg John Phoenix Leinster Four Kings Boxing Club
92kg Paddy Sweeney Connacht Galway Boxing Club92kg Kyle Crean Munster Northside Boxing Club92kg Brandon Mckelvie Ulster Clonard Boxing Club Belfast92kg Thomas Byrne Leinster Edenmore Boxing Club
92+kg Michael O’Donovan Munster De Courcey ABC92+kg Franco Ernjes Munster Saviors Crystal Boxing Club92+kg Adam Olaniyan Leinster Jobstown Boxing Club
