Cassidy and Breslin named in strong Irish boxing team
Waterford's Kelyn Cassidy of St. Saviours Crystal Boxing Club, who will represent Ireland at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool. Photos: INPHO
Waterford boxing duo Kelyn Cassidy and Zara Breslin have been named in a strong Ireland team for the World Boxing Championships that will be held in Liverpool this September.
27-year-old Cassidy, who fights out of Saviours Crystal Boxing Club, will represent the country in the Men’s 80kg division, whilst 24-year-old Breslin, who represents Tramore Boxing Club, will line out for the country in the 60kg category.
They will form part of a 17-strong Irish team that will travel across to the UK venue for the championships that will take place from September 4-14 on Merseyside, where both will be hoping to land World honours.
For Breslin, it comes after she won the final of the Haringey box cup last month with three brilliant wins, and there’s no doubt that this latest achievement of being named in the Irish squad will be a huge honour for her and her club.
With both fighters putting in hours of dedication, with Cassidy very unlucky not to qualify for the recent summer Olympic games, he took to his social media to express his delight at the news.
Cassidy wrote: “I am delighted to be selected to represent Ireland at the up and upcoming World Boxing Championships in Liverpool. It is an incredible honour, especially as I made my international debut on the world stage back at the 2021 World Championships “Stepping into the ring wearing the Irish signet is a moment of immense pride and a reflection of the hard work and dedication that I have put into the sport to compete against some of the best talents from around the globe. Thanks for all the support, exciting times ahead.”
The 17 strong team are drawn from Belfast (2), Donegal (1), Dublin (4), Galway (2), Offaly (1), Roscommon (2), Sligo/Leitrim (1), Waterford (2), Westmeath (1), Wicklow (1); all were crowned 2025 Elite Competition champions in Belfast’s Girdwood Community Hub.
The team also includes Paris Olympians Daina Moorehouse (51kg), Jenny Lehane (54kg), Grainne Walsh (65kg), Dean Clancy (65kg) and Jack Marley (90kg), alongside double Olympians Michaela Walsh (57kg) and Aoife O’Rourke (75kg). Aoife’s sister Lisa (70kg), who won World silver in March alongside her sibling, has also been named. So too have 2024 European U23 medalists Louis Rooney (50kg), Patsy Joyce (55kg) and Martin McDonagh (90+kg) National Performance Director, Jon Mackey, will lead the team in Liverpool in the first benchmark championships since his appointment in April. The squad has been in training and evaluation in the High Performance Unit since mid-June, working with coaching team of Zauri Antia, Damian Kennedy, Eoin Pluck, Lynne McEnery, who also hails from Waterford, and James Doyle.
51kg Daina Moorehouse, of Enniskerry BC, Wicklow.
54kg Jenny Lehane of DCU Boxing Club, Dublin.
57kg Michaela Walsh of Holy Family Golden Gloves BC Belfast.
60kg Zara Breslin of Tramore BC, Waterford.
65kg Grainne Walsh of St. Mary’s BC, Tallaght, Dublin.
70kg Lisa O’Rourke of Castlerea BC, Co. Roscommon
75kg Aoife O’Rourke of Castlerea BC, Co. Roscommon
50kg Louis Rooney of Star BC, Belfast
55kg Patsy Joyce of Olympic BC, Mullingar Co. Westmeath
6okg Adam Hession of Monivea BC, Co. Galway
65kg Dean Clancy of Sean McDermott BC, Co. Leitrim.
70kg Matthew McCole of Illies Golden Glove BC Co. Donegal
75kg Gavin Rafferty of Dublin Docklands Boxing Club
80kg Kelyn Cassidy of Saviours Crystal BC, Co. Waterford
85kg Brian Kennedy of St. Brigid’s BC Edenderry Co. Offaly
90kg Jack Marley of Monkstown BC, Dublin
90+kg Martin McDonagh of Galway BC
Team Manager: Jon Mackey, National Performance Director Head Coach: Zauri Antia Coaches: Damain Kennedy, Lynne McEnery, Eoin Pluck, James Doyle and JP Delaney Doctor: Jim Clover Lead Physio: Rob Tuomey Logistics Support: Sean Crowley, High Performance Manager
