Ireland’s Elite boxers finish on top and amongst the medals at the Nations Cup in Austria…….
Eric Donovan
Ireland’s Elite boxers claimed two gold medals and one silver at the Nations Cup in Austria.
The St Michael’s Athy duo of Eric Donovan and Roy Sheahan and Ross Hickey finished in podium positions to help Ireland claim the Best Nation Award in Weiner Neustadt.
Donovan and Hickey, bronze medal winners at the 2008 and 2010 European Elite Championships in Liverpool and Moscow, secured double gold.
Donovan convincingly beat Durim Sadrija of Switzerland in his lightweight semi-final and then stopped Sultan Barachoev of Austria in the 60kg decider.
Hickey (Grangecon BC) recorded a comfortable 18-11 victory over Austria’s Ivan Obradovic in the last-four and then went two points better with a 20-11 decision over Hungarian light-welterweight Georgian Nyeki in the 64kg final.
“It was great to get the cobwebs out of the way and to get back in the ring. The lads performed very well and it was a good tournament for us,” said Hickey.
Meanwhile, former European Union champion Roy Sheahan beat Levani Dolenjashvili in the welterweight semi-finals but lost out narrowly to Germany’s Philip Nsingi for 69kg gold.
Nsingi, who represented his country at the 2011 European Youth Championships in Dublin, was presented with the Best Boxer of the Tournament Award.
Nations Cup – Wiener Neustadt Austria
September 8th (Semi-finals)
60Kg: Eric Donovan (Ireland) beat Durim Sadrija (Switzerland) 19-5
64kg: Ross Hickey (Ireland) beat Ivan OBradovic (Austria) 18-11
69kg: Roy Sheahan (Ireland) beat Levani Dolenjashvili (Austria) 13-10
September 9th (Finals)
60kg: Eric Donovan (Ireland) beat Sultan Barachoev (Austria) RSC3
64Kg: Ross Hickey (Ireland) beat Georgian Nyeki (Hungary) 20-11
69kg: Roy Sheahan (Ireland) lost to Philip Nsingi (Germany) 9-11
Best Nation Award: Ireland
Best Boxer Award: Philip Nsingi (Germany)
