Kerry's Liam Culloty has guided Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell to their first InsureMyHouse.ie Paudie O’Connor National Cup title.
The final saw them defeat fellow-Cork side Catalyst Fr. Mathews 100-84.
Captain Edel Thornton was awarded the MVP with 18 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists and five turnovers, but there were multiple standout performers for the victors, including American Jayla Johnson, 28 points and 10 rebounds, and Lauren Homan, 23 points.
It was a frantic opening quarter at the National Basketball Arena with the sides matching each other blow-for-blow. A three point jump shot off the glass from Thornton, followed by a Johnson layup had Gurranabraher Credit Union 16-13 up, but Ariel Johnson levelled things from the three point line to make it 16 apiece midway through the quarter. A Katie Walsh two point jump shot from the corner put Gurranabraher Credit Union Burnell 28-25 ahead at the end of the quarter.
Liam Culloty’s side raced out of the blocks in the second quarter, Thornton picking out Danielle O’Leary for a three to put them 33-25 up within a minute. Their lead was 10 points in third minute of the second quarter, 36-26, Johnson with the layup and additional free throw. A long range O’Leary three had Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell 41-29 to the good in the fourth minute.
Catalyst Fr. Mathews dragged themselves back into the contest, with Grainne Dwyer central to it, her put-back basket had them trailing 43-38 with 3’48 to go in the second quarter. A Shannon Brady layup followed and it was a three point game.
Gurranabraher Credit Union would take a nine point lead into half-time, thanks to a shotclock beating three by Homan, to hand them a 54-45 lead – the shot greeted by high-fives from teammates.
Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell led by 15 points at one stage in the third, but Catalyst Fr. Mathews kept themselves in the fight, a layup by Ariel Johnson at the end of the quarter – she’d finish with a game-high 35 points - and the deficit was nine once more, 72-63.
Five quickfire points from Johnson, a three point jump shot, followed by a steal and layup and the gap was six points, 74-68, with two minutes gone in the fourth quarter.
Back-to-back three’s for Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell - Homan’s fifth and Thornton’s second - brought their personal tallies to 20 points and 18 points respectively at that stage and the Nellies were 83-71 up with six minutes to go. This game was far from over, Gráinne Dwyer’s three midway through the quarter and it was a seven point game once more, 86-79.
O’Leary’s fourth from the three point line three made it 91-81 with three minutes to go and it appeared it was going to be Brunell's day. A Johnson two point jump shot - to bring her to 28 points - reinforced their lead further and they’d eventually claim a 100-84 win.
Head coach Liam Culloty said: “It’s just unbelievable for everyone involved in the club and we’re absolutely delighted. To get over the line for the first time ever, for this club to win the Super League cup (InsureMyHouse.ie Paudie O’Connor National Cup) is just an incredible feeling, especially the year that is in it, our 40th anniversary and obviously our founding member passed away in September.
“We beat a really, really good team, Fr. Mathews have a team of legends there, the two Dwyers, Niamh and Gráinne, unbelievable legacy. We believe we have started our own little legacy today with two sets of sisters in the team, so hopefully that’s the start new for the club as we push on.”
Catalyst Fr. Mathews 84–100 Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell
Quarter Scores: Q1: 25-28, Q2: 45-54, Q3: 63-72, Q4: 84-100
Catalyst Fr. Mathews:
Aisha Kaid, Danielle Murphy O’Riordan, Lesley Ann Wilkinson, Amy Murphy, Abby Murphy, Gráinne Dwyer, Arianna Price, Ciara McCarthy, Ariel Johnson, Shannon Brady, Niamh Dwyer.
Head Coach: Pat Price
Top Scorers: Ariel Johnson 35, Gráinne Dwyer 13, Lesley Ann Wilkinson and Shannon Brady (both 10)
Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell:
Kelly Sexton, Rebecca Sexton, Jayla Johnson, Ava Walshe, Lauryn Homan, Danielle O’Leary, Kyaja Williams, Edel Thornton, Lauren Crean Hickey, Alex Macheta, Rachel Lynch, Katie Walshe, Laura Hannigan.
Head Coach: Liam Culloty
Top Scorers: Jayla Johnson 28, Lauryn Homan 23, Edel Thornton 18
Meteors made it back-to-back InsureMyHouse.ie U18 Women’s National Cup titles, defeating Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell 74-64 on Sunday at the National Basketball Arena
This was a repeat of last year’s final and any early nerves ahead of tip off for Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell were settled by a three point jump shot from Abbie Lyons and they’d establish an 8-1 advantage following back-to-back baskets by Clodagh Downey. But back-to-back three’s from Helena Keane and Kira Walsh saw Meteors reel in the deficit, to trail 8-7. It was 14 apiece with three minutes to go in the first, after a three from deep by Keane. In a game of high quality, Meteors would hit the front by the end of the quarter, 25-21, Keane with 13 of their points.
Gurranabraher Credit Union went back in front in the early stages of the second quarter and had a six point lead within two minutes, 31-25, when Laura Hannigan’s three point jump shot from the top of the arc landed. Grace Prenter narrowed the gap to three once more with her first from the three point line and it was followed by another for Keane - her fourth three of the game - to bring the match level once more, at 31-31, with four minutes gone in the quarter. A pair of Prenter free throws at the end of the quarter – to bring her tally for the quarter to 11 points - helped Meteors go into a 42-40 half-time lead.
Meteors extended their advantage in the third quarter, they were up by six three minutes in, after a Keane basket, 46-40. A put back from Andrea Jude in the closing seconds of the quarter made it 58-51 to Meteors.
Another Keane three - her fifth of the game - with 6’14 to go and it was a 12-point game, 65-53 to Meteors. Keane had 23 points at that stage and she’d finish with a game-high 25.
Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell got it within five points with 2’09” to go, 69-64, following Hanningan’s fifth from the three point line and a pair of Ava Walsh free throws. Any momentum for the Cork club was snuffed out with another three point jump shot by Lynch, which was greeted with a loud cheer from the Meteors support who felt it was to going be their day, and it was, as they won it 74-64.
Grace Prenter, who’d dictated the tempo for Meteors all game and grabbed 19 points in the procees, picked up the MVP.
Paul McGarth, Meteors head coach, said: “What can I say, absolutely incredible game. Two teams went at it toe-to-toe. 18 three-pointers in the first half of that game, it was a lights-out shooting fest. We pride ourselves on defence and we gave up 40 points in that first half, we had to find a way to address that and that’s what we did in the 2nd half - it was the difference in the game. All credit to Brunell, they were fantastic. A lot of them girls will be back next year - they ran their feet off last night at the U20’s (Women’s National Cup Final).”
Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell 64-74 Meteors BC
Quarter Scores: Q1: 21-25, Q2: 40-42, Q3: 51-58, Q4: 64-74
Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell:
Clodagh Downey, Abbie Lyons, Laura Hannigan, Rachel Bowdren, Kacii Collins, Ava Walshe, Mia Lynch, Leah O’Brien Meehan, Michelle Angozi.
Head Coach: Kieran O’Leary
Top Scorers: Ava Walshe 19, Laura Hannigan 15, Clodagh Downey 10
Meteors BC:
Andrea Jude, Kira Lynch, Aoife Robertson, Anna O’Sullivan, Grace Prenter, Freya Blennerhassett, Jodi Geaney, Isabel Beddoe, Hannah Gilligan, Riodhna McGrath, Aisling Moran, Emma Johanssen, Grace Henkel, Helena Keane.
Head Coach: Paul McGrath
Top Scorers: Helena Keane 25, Grace Prenter 19, Kira Lynch 13
FloMAX Liffey Celtics made it back-to-back InsureMyHouse.ie National Intermediate Cup Competition titles, thanks to a 84-47 win over Portlaoise Panthers on Sunday.
Maeve Callahane got the opening basket of the contest for Portlaoise Panthers, but after that it the County Kildare outfit took control of proceedings and led from then on. Ada Bowler had two from the three point line, as they built a 21-9 lead by the end of the first quarter.
FloMAX Liffey Celtics opened the second quarter with Caoimhe Masterson landing a three, followed by a Megan Hoffman basket and the gap was now 17 points, 26-9, two minutes in. That advantage was extended to 20 points a minute later, 31-11, following Niamh Masterson’s three point jump shot.
Portlaoise Panthers went on a seven point run to narrow the deficit to 31-18, Tracey Fallon’s basket was followed by five points from Sinead Melia. But Liffey Celtics were in ominous form and would lead 40-21 by half-time, three players in double figures by the break Hoffman (14), Masterson (11) and Bowler (10).
Bowler picked up her fourth from the three point line to open the third quarter. A neat layup from Portlaoise Panthers’ Maeve Callaghan saw them trail 48-27 close to the midpoint of the quarter. FloMAX Liffey Celtics continued to be ruthless from the three point line, while a layup from Karen O’Shea made it a 30-point game, FloMAX Liffey Celtics ahead 58-28, with less than two minutes remaining in the quarter and it would be 62-32 by the end of it.
FloMAX kept the scoreboard ticking over in the fourth quarter, rounding out an 84-47 win. MVP went to Megan Hoffman, after a game-high 22 points and a fine all-round performance.
FloMAX Liffey Celtics head coach Suzanne Maguire said: “When you’re putting 80+ points up in the Arena you know you’re having a good offensive day, and the girls on the offence were very efficient - we made it quite tough for Portlaoise, as we had so many options and the girls were hitting shots.”
FloMAX Liffey Celtics 84-47 Portlaoise Panthers
Quarter Scores: Q1: 21-9, Q2: 40-21, Q3: 62-32, Q4: 84-47
FloMAX Liffey Celtics:
Ada Bowler, Ella Hilliard, Caoimhe Masterson, Rachel O’Carroll, Karen O’Shea, Megan O’Sullivan, Niamh Masterson, Megan Hoffman, Ailbhe Harrington.
Head Coach: Suzanne Maguire
Top Scorers: Megan Hoffman 22, Niamh Masterson 17, Ada Bowler 13
Portlaoise Panthers:
Catherine Ashe, Sinead Melia, Maeve Cahillane, Claire Foyle, Attracta Phelan, Grainne Tomlinson, Deirdre Tomlinson, Sharon Melia, Marie Ramsbottom, Catherina Mulhare, Tracey Fallon, Ann Marie Troy.
Head Coach: Peter O’Sullivan
Top Scorers: Tracey Fallon 15, Catherine Ashe 8, Maeve Cahillane 6
Carrick Cruisers lift first InsureMyHouse.ie Men’s National Intermediate Cup Competition trophy with win over Éanna
Carrick Cruisers lifted the InsureMyHouse.ie Men’s National Intermediate Cup Competition for the first time, defeating Éanna 81-62 at the National Basketball Arena on Sunday.
It caps a remarkable rise for the Monaghan club, whose team only started competing in the NICC last season and won it at the second time of asking, having been beaten semi-finalists last year.
There was little between the sides in the first quarter, Éanna ahead by the slenderest of margins, 22-21, at the end of it, Martin Provizors picking up seven points for the Dublin club.
Carrick Cruisers turned the game in their favour in the second quarter, game MVP Andrew O’Connor got into his stride, he scored seven of his sides eight points in the last three minutes of the quarter to help them to a 43-34 lead at half-time.
Carrick Cruisers continued to build a score in the third quarter, a layup from Provizors and Cruisers were 60-42 to the good with three minutes to go in the third. Their lead would reach 20 points, 64-44, with Vitalijus Kaminskas’ basket with 90 seconds remaining in the quarter. Éanna went on a much-needed five-point run to finish off the quarter, but still trailed 64-49.
Éanna got it to within 10 points with just under eight minutes to go when Adrian Galpo’s three from the left made it 66-56. A six-point run for Carrick Cruisers thanks to a pair of Smigelskis baskets - either side of two O’Connor free throws - put further daylight between the sides. Enrique Melini was doing his best to keep Éanna in it, his three-point jump shot followed – he’d finish with a game-high 23 points.
Carrick Cruisers weren’t going to be overhauled and with two minutes to go their fans chanted “MVP” at O’Connor as he lined up two free throws, he converted both to bring his game tally to 20 and back up their claims – Cruisers 78-60 to the good and heading for the title.
Speaking after their 81-62 win, MVP O’Connor said: “It means absolutely everything to me, Éanna are just such competitors and it was our first time getting to play them. I felt everyone wrote us off, I seen a poll before the game which had Éanna at 80% and us at 20% - everyone on the team was determined to go out there and play our best. The fans have come to nearly every game, supporting on the road and it makes it so much better, so much more enjoyable and the atmosphere spurs you on.”
Éanna 62-81 Carrick Cruisers
Quarter Scores: Q1: 22-21, Q2: 34-43, Q3: 49-64, Q4: 62-81
Éanna:
Adrian Glapo, Thomas McCabe, Emmanuel Saah, Milo Herbst, Bartosz Borowiak, Ciaran MacEvilly, Ciaran Blaney, Ciaran O’Sullivan, Enrique Melini, Liam Osinuga, Derek Kelly
Head Coach: Ciaran MacEvilly
Top Scorers: Enrique Melini 23, Liam Osinuga 13, Ciaran O’Sullivan and Milo Herbst (both 7)
Carrick Cruisers:
Danas Smigelskis, Daniel Garrido, Justin Rosagaran, Audrius Urbanavicius, Andrew O’Connor, Killian McAdam, Martin Provizors, Kestas Jonusas, Ignas Vaisvila, Ramunas Ramanauskas, Rimvydas Valantonis, Vitalijus Kaminskas
Head Coach: Kevin O’Hanlon
Top Scorers: Andrew O’Connor 20, Martin Provizors 16, Danas Smigelskis 15,
