(MAR 27)  The Northern Ireland team for the 2018 Commonwealth Games is now ‘in situ’ on Australia’s ‘Gold Coast’ with a 12-strong male and female squad named for the 21st edition of the tournament.

Rio Olympians Brendan Irvine and Steven Donnelly are included in the side, along with European Elite bronze medallist Kurt Walker and Sean McComb, who beat Russia’s World Elite champion, Vitaly Dunaystev, twice last year.

Michaela Walsh, who claimed EU Elite Gold for Ireland in 2017, Carly McNaul, former EU medallist Alanna Nihell and Kristina O’Hara are also included.

Alanna Nihell of course was the then 16 years old who fought Katie Taylor in the first ever legally sanctioned female bout in Ireland back in October 2001 and she took Bronze in the Glasgow games of 2014.

Michaela Walsh was edged out in the 2014 Commonwealth final in Glasgow on a controversial split decision by England’s two-time Olympic champion Nicola Adams.

Brother Aidan is also in the N.I team this time around. Can they both strike Gold?

Commonwealth Games Youth champions James McGivern and (Aidan) Walsh line out at light and welter respectively

Northern Ireland topped the boxing medals table at the 2010 Commonwealths in New Delhi and finished 2nd in the medals table in Glasgow four years later.

An impressive haul of 14 medals – five of which were gold – were won at these two tournaments.

John Conlan, Peter Brady and Damien Kennedy will be working the Irish corner in Australia.

WBAN will bring you news of the event in the coming weeks with England, host National Australia and Canada also believing they have some great medal prospects.

2018 Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast Australia, April 4th/15th:

Squad:

48kg Kristina O’Hara (St John Bosco)
51kg Carly McNaul (Holy Family)
52kg Brendan Irvine (St Paul’s)
56kg Kurt Walker (Canal)
57kg Michaela Walsh (Monkstown)
60kg James McGivern (St George’s)
60kg Alanna Nihell (Eastside/British Army)
64kg Sean McComb (Holy Trinity)
69kg Aidan Walsh (Monkstown)
75kg Steven Donnelly (All Saints)
91kg Dee Sullivan (Emerald)
+91kg Stephen McMonagle (Holy Trinity)

All of the latest news from Gold Coast is here including latest ticketing information and boxing schedule.

https://www.gc2018.com/