Ireland’s women’s team fell to a narrow 69-66 defeat against Denmark in a closely fought international friendly at the National Basketball Arena on Friday. Ireland, who led by 10 at one stage in the game, clawed back an eight point deficit at the start of the fourth to put them in contention for victory, but it wasn’t to be for James Weldon’s side.
Captain Claire Melia registered 19 points, alongside 14 rebounds and four steals, while Bridget Herlihy was also among those to impress, with 16 points, eight rebounds and a pair of assists and turovers.
Denmark opened the game with a five point run, before Ireland drew level at 7-7 following Enya Maguire’s three point jump shot, three minutes in. A Herlihy layup and a corner three from Sorcha Tienran had Ireland 12-7 up with four minutes gone, prompting a Denmark timeout call. By the midpoint of the quarter a Melia layup had Ireland 17-9 ahead.
Melia, who will be playing with Spanish club Uni Ferrol next season, landed from the three point line to give Ireland a 22-13 advantage, with a little over two minutes to go. Denmark would reduce the deficit to 22-17 by the end of the first quarter.
Denmark continued to make inroads and Maria Jespersen’s free throw had the away side marginally ahead, 24-23, with three minutes gone in the second quarter. But Ireland wrestled back control, Herlihy, who missed Ireland’s friendlies with Uganda last month due to illness, reeled off back-to-back threes to put Ireland back in command, at 31-24, with a little over four minutes to go in the quarter, Herlihy’s tally now at 10.
Tiernan landed her second from the three point line, to make it a 10-point game, 36-26, with less than three remaining. Again Denmark reeled Ireland in, a driving layup by Ena Viso reduced the deficit to two points, Ireland 36-34 in front at half-time.
The third quarter was tight in the opening exchanges, Ella O’Donnell’s layup had Ireland 46-44 ahead midway through. With three and a half minutes to go Denmark hit the front, 51-50, following Malene Lind Pedersen’s three, which sparked a 10-point run and the Danes led 58-50 by the end of the third.
Ireland responded with a 10-point run of their own to kickstart the fourth, Herlihy and Melia to the fore. Herlihy landed a pair of layups, while Melia slotted a layup, a jump shot and two free throws to bring her tally to 19 points and Ireland led 60-58 with four and a half minutes gone. A Maria Jespersen three – who finished with a game-high 23 points - nudged Denmark in front 61-60 at the midpoint and the away side would build a five point lead, 65-60 not long afterwards.
A pair of Herlihy free throws snapped Denmark’s scoring run, Lauryn Homan’s jump shot followed and Ireland trailed by a point with minute to go. Two Jespersen free throws stretched Denmark’s lead to three, 67-64, with 20.2 seconds to go. Michelle Clarke’s two and Ireland were 67-66 behind with 6.9 seconds remaining. Denmark closed out the game with two Sofie Tryggedsson free throws, to claim a 69-66 victory.
Speaking afterwards Ireland head coach, James Weldon, said: “Yeah look, it was a good performance and it was unfortunate that we came out the wrong side of a very tight game. They are what 30 places ahead of us in the world rankings, they played Greece in Greece a couple of weeks ago. Lots to build on, it was frustrating that we couldn’t close it out, we had a couple of opportunities to close them out, but look we have to regroup. We play against Netherlands tomorrow, they are going to come in fresh, we have to get our recovery right tonight. All the girls gave 100 per cent, did Ireland proud, the win will come, if we keep playing like that, the win will come.”
Ireland’s women take on the Netherlands at 4pm on Saturday, 3rd August, at the National Basketball Arena, with tickets available to purchase here.
Quarter Scores:
Q1: 22-17, Q2: 14-17 Q3: 14-24, Q4: 16-11
Game Scores:
Q1: 22-17, Q2: 36-34, Q3: 50-58, Q4: 66-69
Ireland:
Michelle Clarke (6), Ella O'Donnell (2), Sarah Hickey (0), Kate Hickey (5), Lauryn Homan (2), Claire Melia (19), Bridget Herlihy (16), Sarah Kenny (DNP), Enya Maguire (7), Sorcha Tiernan (9), Amy Dooley (DNP), Gandy Mamel Malou (0).
Denmark:
Sofie Tryggedsson (2), Elisabeth Brynaa (1), Ena Viso (2), Maria Jespersen (23), Lena Svanholm (4), Malene Lind Pederson (3), Nikoline Sandbäck (11), Olivia Lutterodt (0), Annemie Friis Espensen (0), Katrine Jessen (0), Julianna Okosun (12), Sarah Mortensen (11).
Ireland men’s head coach Mark Keenan lamented the number of turnovers conceded, as his team lost 64-57 to Denmark in their friendly at the National Basketball Arena.
Ireland made blistering start to the contest, John Carroll - playing his first home international since reversing his decision to retire - opened the scoring with a three. Back-to-back three’s from Taiwo Badmus – who’d finish with a game-high 23 points - and another by Jordan Blount had Ireland up by 10 points, 18-8, with a litte over three minutes to go in the first quarter, however that lead was cut by the end of it, Ireland 19-15 ahead.
Ireland suffered a blow when they lost Blount to an ankle injury in the second quarter, which curtailed their options. The game was level at 21-21 apiece following Sylvester Berg’s dunk three and a half minutes into the second quarter. An Anton Ostoft three followed, to put the Danes in front, cancelled out swiftly by another Badmus three and it was 24-24. A nine point run from the Danes was finally ended by Sean Flood’s three, to see Ireland trail 33-27. The Danes would lead 35-29 at half-time.
Ireland closed to within a point, 38-37, two and a half minutes into the third, following Neal Quinn’s rebound. Gustav Shur Jessen’s three had the Denmark up 44-39 with four minutes to go. But Ireland reclaimed the lead following Matt Treacy’s corner three and a basket and free throw from Badmus, to put them 45-44 up. A nice fadeaway jump shot from Adrian O’Sullivan had Ireland in front by three, 50-47, with 1’21 left. The teams exchanged free throws, Ireland led 51-49 going into the final quarter.
Denmark started the fourth with a seven-point run, Badmus got Ireland’s first points of quarter from the three point line, to bring his tally to 21 points at that stage and Ireland trailed 56-54 with four and a half minutes remaining in the contest. In a low scoring affair, baskets from Tobias Jensen and Sylvester Berg either side of a Mads Bonde free throw made it a seven point game, 61-54 with a minute and a half to go. It was an uphill task for Ireland, another Badmus basket followed, but it was Denmark’s night as they won 64-57.
Ireland head coach, Mark Keenan, said: “Disappointed, when I look at the scorelines 64 points we only gave up and we had 25 turnovers in the game just looking at it there, so that 64 doesn’t look too bad, but 25 turnovers if we cut that in half, give ourselves an extra 10-12 possessions, there’s the difference in the game. We did a lot of good stuff for periods of the game and then we just had spells for a couple of minutes where it seemed to be turnover after turnover and they capitalised on it. Look, a lot to be happy with and then a lot to look forward to tomorrow, in terms of can we overturn this and change that result around tomorrow.”
Ireland’s men face Denmark once again at 7pm on Saturday, 3rd August, at the National Basketball Arena, with tickets available to purchase here.
Quarter Scores:
Q1: 19-15, Q2: 10-20 Q3: 22-14, Q4: 6-15
Game Scores:
Q1: 19-15, Q2: 29-35, Q3: 51-49, Q4: 57-64
Ireland:
Adrian O’Sullivan (2), Sean Jenkins (0), Sean Flood (7), Conor Quinn (0), Jordan Blount (3), James Gormley (DNP), Taiwo Badmus (23), Matt Treacy (3), Sam Alajiki (14), Neal Quinn (2), Aidan Harris-Igiehon (0), John Carroll (3).
Denmark:
David Kristensen (0), Andreas Rosenkrantz Holst (1), Sylvester Berg (12), Adam Heede-Andersen (6), Liam Churchill (8), Mads Bonde (2), Anton Østoft (3), Gustav Suhr Jessen (3), Dane Erikstrup (20), Tobias Jensen (9), Tomas Atli Bjarkason (0), Gustav Winther (0)
Bank Holiday Basketball Results:
Friday 2nd August
Women’s International Friendly
Ireland 69-66 Denmark (game report here)
Men’s International Friendly
Ireland 57-64 Denmark
Bank Holiday Basketball Fixtures:
Saturday 3rd August
Women’s International Friendly
Ireland v Netherlands, National Basketball Arena, 4pm
Men’s International Friendly
Ireland v Denmark, National Basketball Arena, 7pm
