Utility Trust St Pauls can today become national champions.
The Women's Super League Final at 2 in Tallaght sees them go up against Killester.
Enda Walshe reports
Enda Walshe spoke with Pauls players Denise Dunlea, Mathilde Diop, Lorraine Scanlon and Callie Cavanaugh
Killester have the chance to do the Super League Final double this afternoon.
UCC Demons stand in the men's way of winning a first league win in 11 years.
The tip off for that one is at 4:30pm.
There’s a 10.30 tip-off in the Men’s U20 final between Tralee Warriors and Titans.
Limerick Celtics will play in the Domino’s Men’s Super League for the first time next season, after they secured promotion following a 81-70 win over ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers in the Domino’s Men’s Division One final on Saturday at the National Basketball Arena. It’s completes an excellent season having also won the Presidents’ National Cup and only lost once all campaign.
The pacy AJ Williams was the star of the show, the American was kept scoreless in the opening quarter, but ignited after that and finished with 30 points to claim the MVP.
ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers raced into an early nine point lead, 17-8, after a pair of Davin McEvoy free throws. Finn Hughes closed the gap to four, 19-15, from the three point line in the final minute, before Xabi Arriaga unleashed a lovely step-back three on the buzzer to make it 22-15 at the end of the first quarter.
A seven-point run from Limerick Celtics at the start of the second quarter brought the game level, Philip Kearney’s basket making it 22-22. ND Portlaoise Panthers responded with a dunk from Aleksander Kovacevic shortly afterwards. Limerick Celtics completed the turnaround thanks to an eight point run by Williams, to put them 30-26 up midway through the second quarter.
A layup from Kevin Donohoe on a fastbreak saw Portlaoise Panthers trail 35-31 with just under three minutes to go in the quarter and they’d cut the deficit to two, 37-35, by half-time.
A corner three from Donohoe in the second minute of the third quarter brought the game level at 39-39. A Williams three saw his tally go to 11 at that stage, as Limerick Celtics led 44-41 shortly afterwards.
A long range three from Arriaga for ND Portlaoise Panthers was matched by a corner fadeaway jump shot two by Williams for Limerick Celtics and the game was poised at 50-50 with four minutes to go in the third. It remained tight, a fastbreak and layup in the closing seconds from Williams saw Limerick Celtics 58-55 up at the end of the third.
Limerick Celtics opened the fourth quarter with a five-point run, Abdul Wurie’s finish inside the paint made it 63-55. Another long-range Arriga three snapped that sequence and closed the deficit to 63-58.
A layup from Williams and the gap was seven, 67-60, three and a half minutes in. But a dunk from Wurie made it 71-60 midway through the quarter and got the Celtics fans to their feet.
Chima Obikwelu unleashed a one-handed dunk after a Williams steal with two minutes to go and it was 76-64 and Celtics weren’t going to be denied the win.
Head coach Tony Hehir said: “It’s incredible, Portlaoise Panthers started so well, the first quarter was really difficult for us to manage, but this group of players turned up when we needed them to.”
He added: “It’s a tough league, some great teams in there and I thought we grew and grew as the year went on and got better and better. AJ (Williams) was phenomenal tonight, but it’s a team effort.”
Quarter Scores:
Q1: 15-22, Q2: 22-13 Q3: 21-20, Q4: 23-15
Game Scores:
Q1: 15-22, Q2: 37-35, Q3: 58-55, Q4: 81-70
Limerick Celtics:
Eoghan Donaghy (6), Ariyon Jamal Williams (30), Martin Frawley (0), Cian Gleeson (DNP), Finn Hughes (9), Matthew Barry (0), Chima Obikwelu (10), Abdul Wurie (17), Philip Kearney (7), Sean Ryan (2), Vadjikiba Dosso (DNP), Jordan Hehir (DNP)
ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers
Cillian O’Connell (0), Dylan Dunne (DNP), Jayden Umeh (DNP), James Phelan (17), Eric Anderson (14), Davin McEvoy (10), Kevin Donohoe (18), Cormac Howson (DNP), Xabier Arriaga (9), Kyle Burke (0), Aleksander Kovacevic (2), Liam Kinsella (0)
McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles have secured promotion to the Domino’s Women’s Super League, following their 67-58 win over Limerick Celtics in the Domino’s Women’s Division One final on Saturday at the National Basketball Arena. It completes an unbeaten season for John Stephens’ side, winning all 16 of their regular season games, playoff fixtures, along with the Women’s Division One National Cup in January.
McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles led from start to finish in this contest and were 22-14 ahead after the opening quarter. Limerick Celtics raced out of the blocks in the second quarter and closed the gap to two points three minutes in, 25-23, following an offensive rebound by Louise Scannell, who picked up eight points in the quarter.
McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles would lead 38-30 by the end of the second quarter with a three from the top of the arc from Ciara Brady and a Lanetta Williams layup in the closing stages - either side of a pair of Sadhbhb Edwards Murphy free throws for Limerick Celtics.
Limerick Celtics got within four points, 42-38, midway through the third quarter following Stephanie McBride basket. McBride was their standout player for Celtics, her two free throws at the end of the quarter saw them trail 51-45. The American would finish with a hugely impressive 27 points and 20 rebounds.
A layup by game MVP Emma Tolan and it was 60-46 to McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles with six minutes to go in the game – she’d finish with 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Limerick Celtics kept plugging away, a three from Scannell made it an eight point game, 62-54, with four and a half minutes remaining, however McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles safely negotiated the closing stages, winning 67-58.
McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles captain Niamh Tolan said: “It’s special that we went unbeaten and to pull through today we’re absolutely delighted, we can’t quite believe it. We were nervous going into it, but that pressure is a privilege and it’s something we’ve worked on all season, we took each game at a time.”
She added: “It’s really, really hard to put into words what a special day it is for our club to make history, to be the first team from Cavan to make the Women’s Super League, it’s amazing, I’m so proud.”
Quarter Scores:
Q1: 22-14, Q2: 16-16 Q3: 13-15, Q4: 16-13
Game Scores:
Q1: 22-14, Q2: 38-30, Q3: 51-45, Q4: 67-58
McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles:
Rahmena Henderson (13), Niamh Tolan (11), Emma Tolan (13), Caitlin Carroll (0), Ciara Brady (3), Ciara Tolan (4), Casey Mulvey (8), Jane Larkin (DNP), Laura McFarland (DNP), Lanetta Williams (15)
Limerick Celtics:
Alli Walsh (0), Aine Keating (DNP), Louise Scannell (13), Amy Buckley (4), Stephanie McBride (27), Sabhbh Edwards Murphy (6), Laura Gocek (0), Jade You (DNP), Meabh Purtill (0), Shelby Harmeyer (8), Anna K Nealon (DNP)
