GALWAY WELTERWEIGHT KIERAN Molloy has sealed Ireland’s first medal of the 2018 EU Championships after guaranteeing at least bronze with a controversial split-decision win in the last eight — controversial only for the fact that it wasn’t a unanimous verdict in the Irishman’s favour.
Molloy was given a 3-1-1 nod over former Youth Olympic champion and European U22 bronze medalist Vincenzo Arecchia in the 69kg quarter-final, forcing two standing counts and almost finishing the Italian in the third round only for the Romanian and Moldovan judges to pull a wobbler.
The Irish Senior Elite champion — who beat Drogheda’s Eugene McKeever in February’s national decider at welter — was awarded the other three cards on scores of 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 to have his hand raised.
Oughterard BC stylist Molloy will face English standout Pat McCormack in the semis. The 23-year-old Sunderland native is the reigning Commonwealth champion and has taken home silver from the last two European Championships.
Down at 64kg, Molloy’s international teammate Wayne Kelly lost to Dmitry Galogot of Moldova on an extremely harsh 5-0 unanimous decision.
Ireland’s three other quarter-finalists — Kirill Afanasev (91kg), Kurt Walker (56kg) and Michael Nevin (75kg) — will bid for guaranteed medals in the coming two days.
Subscribe to our new podcast, Heineken Rugby Weekly on The42, here:
