McCann chosen to fight for Ireland

JAMES McCann has been named in the Ireland team to take on Wales in an international in the historic Guildhall in Derry this Saturday (March 1).

McCann (54g) of St Monica’s Boxing Club is a reigning IABA National Youth Competition champion.

The 17-year-old Camlough lad has displayed tremendous character to grow in the sport, having come close in recent title fights, he stuck at it, then disaster struck in August when James broke his collarbone in a mountain biking accident but the south Armagh lad was back training at St Monica's by the end on November.

He had little time to prepare for the All-Ireland but he put the hard yards in over six intense weeks of training, including on Christmas Eve and sparring on Boxing Day and last month he won the Irish title. It was also a great weekend for McCann's St Monica's Club but more about that inside the paper.

McCann is part of the Irish team, which is the first youth international to take place since March 2023, when Ireland took on England in a dual-nations following a training camp in Ballina, Co Mayo. The last Elite international, when Ireland met Ukraine, took place in Castlerea, Co. Roscommon, in April 2024, also following a training camp.

Ireland last met Wales in a dual-nations in February, 2022, in a predominantly Youth programme. That ended in 5 wins, apiece, for each federation.

The team have been in training at Dealgan BC, Louth and at the National Stadium, Dublin, and concluded their final training session on Saturday.

Team Ireland: 46kg Ava McCabe, Jobstown BC, Dublin, 48kg Abbey Molloy, Sacred Heart Boxing Club Dublin, 52kg Kayleigh Byrne, Gorey BC, Wexford, 54kg Elma Barry, Setanta Boxing Academy, Kildare, 57kg Grace Conway, Tredagh Boxing Academy, Louth, 51kg Michael Reilly, St. Paul’s Boxing Club, Waterford, 54kg James McCann, St. Monica’s ABC, Newry, 57kg Sean McCusker, Dealgan BC, Louth, 60kg Daniel Hunter, Corpus Christi ABC, Belfast, 67kg John Donoghue, Olympic Boxing Club, Westmeath, 71kg Rati Abulzade, Togher BC, Cork, 75kg Jason Whelan, Dublin Docklands BC, 80kg Chulainn McDonnell, Whitechurch BC, Dublin

Tickets cost adults: €20, children, U16: €10, club bundles: ten tickets €150/£150. Doors open at 7pm.