Brett McGinty is USA bound with Ireland Boxing Team

Donegal fighter Brett McGinty has been included in the 18 strong Ireland squad for the upcoming International’s with the USA.
The Oakleaf fighter who lost out in the National Elite Middleweight final recently has been named along with 12 current Elite Champions.
Lauren Hogan, Kellie Harrington, Grainne Walsh, Aoife Burke, Dean Gardiner, Kiril Afanasev, Caoimhin Agyarko-Hynes, Michael Nevin, Kieran Molloy, Wayne Kelly, George Bates and Evan Mecalfe, who all claimed Irish Elite belts last month, line out against the Americans.
The USA and Ireland meet in Boston next Monday, Springfield on March 15 and Manchester, New Hampshire on March 21.
Bernard Dunne, Irish Athletic Boxing Association High-Performance Director, believes that the USA versus Ireland during the St Patrick’s festival is always special.
“It’s a great opportunity to develop a partnership between us and the American team because we are not competing against each other to qualify for major tournaments out there, he said.
”I also see it as a great opportunity for both nations to start sharing ideas and developing our athletes together. America is always strong; they’ve got great strength in depth. They have a lot of talent out there.
“We’re bringing out a young team. It’s a developing team and it’s an opportunity to have a look at them in this environment. I’m sure it’s going to be a lively atmosphere at all the bouts because it’s the St Patrick’s festival and Ireland versus the USA always attracts attention.
“We have a young team, but they’ve got talent. We have talented young boxers coming through that have been coached in their clubs and developed in their clubs. They’re coming to us with a skill set and we polish them off and bring them to the next level.”
Former Irish head coach Billy Walsh, now chief seconds with the USA, is expected to call up a number of his leading prospects.
The Irish squad leave for the USA on Thursday.
USA v Ireland
March 12: Royale Entertainment Complex, Boston, Mass.
March 15: MassMutual Center, Springfield, Mass.
March 21: The Manchester Downtown Hotel, Manchester, N.H.
Irish squad
Female
54kg: Lauren Hogan (St Brigid’s BC)
60kg: Kellie Harrington (St Mary’s BC)
69kg: Grainne Walsh (Spartacus BC)
75kg: Aoife Burke (St Mary’s BC)
Male
91kg+: Dean Gardiner (Clonmel BC)
91kg: Kiril Afanasev (Glasnevin BC)
81kg: Caoimhin Agyarko-Hynes (Holy Trinity BC)
75kg: Michael Nevin (Portlaoise BC)
75kg: Brett McGinty (Oakleaf BC)
75kg: Gerard French (Clonard BC)
69kg: Kieran Molloy (Oughterard BC)
69kg: Eugene McKeever (Holy Family BC)
64kg: Wayne Kelly (Portlaoise BC)
64kg: Caoimhin Ferguson (Clonard BC)
64kg: Paddy Donovan (OLOL BC)
60kg: George Bates (St Mary’s BC)
60kg: Francis Cleary (Ballina BC)
56kg: Evan Metcalfe (Hyland Academy BC)
Team manager – Bernard Dunne
Head coach – Zauri Antia
Coach – Phillip Keogh
Coach – Martin Donovan
Coach – Paul Thompson