Limerick Celtics defeated defending champions Abbey Seals Dublin Lions 64-55 to win the InsureMyHouse.ie Women’s Division One National Cup for the first time.
Having witnessed their U20’s men claim a first ever National Cup at that age level earlier on Saturday prior to taking the court, Limerick Celtics doubled up on silverware at the National Basketball Arena.
After a scoreless opening two and a half minutes, the side’s exchanged threes, Samantha Colman’s basket matched by Emily Smyth moments later. Sophia Widmeyer put Abbey Seals Dublin Lions 7-6 up with four minutes gone, but after that Limerick Celtics went on a 15-point run to take control of the game, Mikayla Brandon helped herself to nine points in that run, either side of two Lucy Devoy three pointers, as she also found her range.
Limerick Celtics took a 21-11 lead in the second quarter and extended their advantage further to 19 points - Brandon’s three point jump shot had them 32-13 midway through the quarter. Abbey Seals kept their opponents scoreless for the rest of the quarter, while grabbing eight points of their own to close the gap to 32-21 by half-time, Widmeyer’s three the last points of the half.
The third quarter saw Sydney Kin score 11 of our side’s 15 points, a layup from her saw Abbey Seals Dublin Lions trail 45-34 with two and a half minutes to go in the third quarter and the Dublin club’s fans were starting to believe. Limerick Celtics, however, would hold a 46-36 lead by the end of the quarter.
Tony Hehir’s side stretched the gap once more at the start of the fourth quarter, Aoife Morrissey’s basket had them 51-38 ahead two minutes in. A layup from Kin and additional converted free throw reduced the deficit to 53-45 with three and a half minutes to go.
It was a six-point game, 57-51, with 30 seconds to go thanks two three’s from Lions’ Emily Smyth, either side a Lucy Devoy basket for Celtics – the composed Devoy would finish with 18 points. The final seconds concluded with the sides exchanging free-throws, Limerick Celtics winning 64-55.
Mikayla Brandon was awarded MVP after a fine all-round performance, posting 22 points and 20 rebounds, four assists and four steals. Speaking afterwards she said: “I’m not from here so I didn’t realise how big of game this was, but my teammates showed me how big this was supposed to be. I did all I could for them and for this club - I gave it all I got.”
Limerick Celtics 64–55 Abbey Seals Dublin Lions
Quarter Scores:
Q1: 21-11 , Q2: 32-21, Q3: 46-36, Q4: 64-55
Limerick Celtics:
Lucy Devoy, Dearbhail O’Connor, Ali Walsh, Aoife Morrissey, Sabhbh Edwards Murphy, Sorcha Cronin, Mikayla Brandon, Amy Buckley, Anna Parra Sanchez, Samantha Coleman.
Head Coach: Tony Hehir
Top Scorers: Mikayla Brandon 22, Lucy Devoy 18, Samantha Coleman 12
Abbey Seals Dublin Lions:
Sydney Kin, Emily Smyth, Katie Flanagan, Tomiwa Adeyemi, Tara Nevin, Caoimhe Gilligan, Ciara Wheeler, Sophia Widmeyer, Ciara Broderick, Gillian Wheeler, Claudia Sanchez.
Head Coach: Rob White
Top Scorers: Sydney Kin 29, Emily Smyth 9, Sophia Widmeyer 8
Limerick Celtics win first ever InsureMyHouse.ie U20 Men’s National Cup title
Limerick Celtics won their first ever InsureMyHouse.ie U20 Men’s National Cup title, defeating Titans 77-65 at the National Basketball Arena on Saturday morning.
Tony Hehir’s side raced out of the blocks and led 20-6 at the end of the quarter, Dennis Matthews with 7 points in the quarter for Celtics.
The second quarter was a role reversal, as Titans clawed themselves back into it. A 10 point run got the Galway outfit within three points, 23-20, four and half minutes into the quarter, thanks to two Declan Gbinigie baskets, a Laim Conaola’s basket and resultant free throw along with Matthew Callaghan’s three. They’d trail 31-28 by half-time.
Limerick Celtics again had a fast start to the third, Matthew Barry was finding his range and unleashed two long range jump shots to help propel them to a 15 point lead, 45-30 four minutes in the quarter. Barry would help himself to 11 points in the quarter and would finish the game with 23 points, on the way to earning the MVP.
Titans tried to keep themselves in the shake up, Eoin Potitio came off the bench to land a three with three minutes to go in the third, but his side still trailed 47-33 and would be 54-37 behind by the end of the quarter.
Titans got the opening basket in the fourth through Fortune Igbokwe, but Limerick Celtics weren’t to be caught, Cian Gleeson’s three point jump shot from the corner three minutes in had them 59-41 up. Another three point jump from Martin Frawley and the lead was 22 points, 66-44, with less than four minutes to go in the contest. A comeback from Titans wasn’t to emerge, a three from the corner by Phillip Kearney in the final minute to move them 75-60 ahead was greeted by a loud cheer from the Limerick Celtics fans behind him who knew it was to be their day.
MVP Matthew Barry said: “It feels great to be back here again, we won the U18’s last year. We knew that Titans would be a tough game, but we realised if we stuck to our game plan, we went into the zone and we started hitting our shots and when they had to come out of their zone they couldn’t stop us really.”
Limerick Celtics 77–65 Titans
Quarter Scores:
Q1: 20-16 , Q2: 31-28, Q3: 54-37, Q4: 77-65
Limerick Celtics:
Cian Gleeson, James Corcoran, Stephen Redmond, Matthew Barry, Daniel O’Toole, Philip Kearney, Tom Kavanagh, Dennis Matthews, Oliver Barry, Con Kirby, Sean McNamara, Martin Frawley, Colm McCarthy
Head Coach: Tony Hehir
Top Scorers: Matthew Barry 23, Cian Gleeson 18, Philip Kearney and Dennis Matthews (both 13)
Titans:
Viktor Tashev, Stephen Owede, Eoin Hardiman, Senan O’Leary, Matthew Callaghan, Jason Nwose, Daniel Baeck-Herke, Eoin Potito, Declan Gbinigie, Fortune Igbokwe, Sam Cassidy, Liam Conaola
Head Coach: Jack Considine
Top Scorers: Declan Gbinigie 21, Fortune Igbokwe 17, Daniel Baeck-Herke 7
