Paulstown fighter Darren O’Neill will compete in an International Round Robin Tournament which takes place this weekend in the National Stadium in Dublin.
Speaking to KCLR, Darren’s Dad Ollie says he will fighting hot opposition.
“We’ll have France, Germany and Russia over so it will be hot opposition.
“The Olympic Gold medalist is in his weight, a Russian there and he beat Darren before but Darren had beat him as well”
“There is a French guy he is Silver medalist I think in the Europeans so it’s hot opposition. There is going to be a lot of good fights in it, and Ireland have a 2nd team as well so whether they would be putting a 2nd team in we are not sure what the schedule for that yet is either. It’s going to be a lot of good Boxing on in the Stadium. There is a lot of Europeans and Olympic Gold medalists on show in the stadium this weekend from other countries”
Ollie says that this tournament is perfect preparation for his son Darren ahead of an attempt at the upcoming European Championships.
He says Darren’s preparation has been going goods since retaining the National title earlier in the year……
“Ah yeah, he has been training up there in the new high performance out in Abbotstown in the new National training Centre out there, and he has been training at home with me at the weekends in Paulstown and he has been helping out within our club as well, training some of our younger boxers as well along with some of our other coaches so his preparation is going good I think”
“You would want to be meeting the top guys in preparation to get ready for the Europeans, and I think this is a very very good preparation for that, so ah no I think his preparation is going good I think”
Ireland B get the weekend’s Round Robin underway against France at the National Stadium on Friday with boxing beginning at 2pm.
Germany face Italy at 5.30pm Friday, directly followed by Ireland A versus Russia and the tournament continues Saturday and Sunda, boxing begins Sunday at 10am and runs straight through.
Schedule
April 28th
Ireland B v France (2.30pm)
Germany v Italy (5.30pm)
Ireland A v Russia
April 29th
Ireland B v Germany (11am)
Russia v Italy (3pm)
Ireland A v France (7pm)
April 30th (10am)
Ireland A v Germany
Russia v France
Ireland B v Italy
Teams
Ireland A Men
49kg Blaine Dobbins (St Josephs, Derry)
52kg Brendan Irvine (St Pauls)
56kg Kurt Walker (Canal)
60kg Patrick Mongan (Olympic)
64kg Sean McComb (Holy Trinity)
69kg Dean Walsh (St Josephs/St Ibars)
75kg Emmett Brennan (Glasnevin)
81kg Anthony Browne (St Michaels, Dublin)
91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)
91kg+ Martin Keenan (Rathkeale)
Women
51kg Carly McNaul (Ormeau Road)
60kg Kellie Harrington (Glasnevin)
75kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgans)
Ireland B Men
49kg Connor Jordan (St Aidans)
52kg Thomas McCarthy (Brian Dillons)
56kg Stephen McKenna (Old School)
60kg George Bates (St Marys)
64kg Wayne Kelly (Ballynacargy)
69kg Stephen Donnelly (All Sainst)
75kg Michael Nevin (Portlaoise)
81kg Michael Frayne (St Marys)
91kg Ken Ogunkbowa (Athlone)
91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)
Women
75kg Grainne Walsh (Sparticus)
