N. IRELAND ANNOUNCE SQUAD
Strong team named for the Commonwealth Games later this year in Australia
NORTHERN IRELAND have announced a strong team of 13 who will be competing in the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia later this year.
The side has two Olympians competing, flyweight Brendan Irvine, also a European bronze medallist in 2017, and Stephen Donnelly, who has moved up to middleweight.
Michaela Walsh performed well at the last Commonwealth Games, losing to Olympic star Nicola Adams in the final at Glasgow 2014. With the new weight categories she can compete at 57kgs in 2018.
Sean Mccomb will be another serious contender for gold at Gold Coast 2018. The light-welterweight wants revenge against England’s Luke Mccormack, who beat at the Europeans last year. Apart from that blip Mccomb had had a good 2017, beating Vitali Dunaytsev, a Russian World champion, twice.
Kurt Walker is stepping out of Michael Conlan’s shadow to occupy the bantamweight berth. Seasoned lightweight Alanna Nihell, who is also the Army team captain, will also compete in Australia.
James Mcgivern, the male lightweight, and welterweight Aidan Walsh are Commonwealth Youth champions hoping to perform now at the elite level.
Boxing at the Commonwealth Games will take place from April 5 to April 14.
The full team is as follows: 48kgs: Kristina O’hara (St John Bosco) 51kgs: Carly Mcnaul (Holy Family) 52kgs: Brendan Irvine (St Paul’s) 56kgs: Kurt Walker (Canal) 57kgs: Michaela Walsh (Monkstown) 60kgs: James Mcgivern (St George’s) 60kgs: Alanna Nihell (Eastside/british Army) 64kgs: Sean Mccomb (Holy Trinity) 69kgs: Aidan Walsh (Monkstown) 75kgs: Steven Donnelly (All Saints) 81kgs: Conor Wallace (Holy Family Drogheda) 91kgs: Dee Sullivan (Emerald)