Illies Euro star

Illies Golden Gloves featherweight Tyrone McCullagh has returned to Ireland to a hero’s welcome after bringing home a bronze medal from the European Elite Boxing Championships in Russia. The 20 year-old Derry man was the surprise package of the Ireland team who won five medals at the championships to cement the country’s reputation as a boxing powerhouse. McCullagh, the youngest member of the Ireland squad and fighting in his first senior international championships, surpassed all expectations to bring home the Illies club’s second major medal after William McLaughlin secured a silver at last year’s EU Championships. Tyrone opened his campaign with a stunning 13-2 win over Moldova’s Piort Apostol last Monday and secured his bronze medal by defeating Armenian Azat Hovhannisyan before losing out at the semi-final stages to England’s Iain Weaver on a 10-3 scoreline. But the Illies southpaw revealed that a broken bone in his hand during that bout significantly hampered his bid for a place in the final. “I don’t want to make excuses but I felt the hand injury had a big impact in the loss to Weaver,” he told the Inish Times. “I hurt it with the first punch I threw but managed to draw the first round 2-2 before he went 3-2 up at the end of the second. In the final round I had to go on the attack to try and get points and I did pull it back to 3-3 but he was able to counter to pull ahead.” “Before the tournament I just wanted to give a good account of myself and wasn’t expecting to come home with a medal. I think that took the pressure off me in the early fights. “The atmosphere in the squad was brilliant and when a few of us started well it seemed to have a knock on affect. It’s an unbelievable result and we’ll probably be the most successful Irish team in any sport this year. They’re all brilliant lads and I think you’ll see a lot of them at the Olympics in two year’s time.” The win represents the end of a remarkable season for McCullagh who can now have realistic aspirations of representing Ireland at the 2012 London games himself. But his hand injury means his place on the Northern Ireland team for the Commonwealth Games in India later this year now hang in the balance. “I was expecting to have to box off with the Ulster Champion Ryan Lindberg for the place at the Commonwealths but they will just have to choose one of us now. I’m looking forward to taking a rest now and make sure I let the hand heal properly so I don’t have any problems with it in the future. “It’s been an up and down season, I was disappointed to lose in the Irish Under 21 semi-final before Christmas so it’s been a brilliant turnaround to win the National Senior Title and win a European Bronze medal. “I’d like to thank the coaches at Illies Golden Gloves, Stephen Friel, Eamon Duffy, Clive Whitbred and Andy McLaughlin. Also to my Dad Vin McCullagh and everyone from Donegal and Derry who sent me texts or messages on Facebook wishing me luck.”