Utility Trust St Pauls have won away in the Women’s Superleague.
They defeated Portlaoise Panthers 47-41.
Enda Walshe reports
Basketball Ireland weekend review:
The Address UCC Glanmire recorded a 78-71 victory over defending Women’s Super League champions, Killester in Clontarf on Saturday evening, while Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell also enjoyed success on the road as they surmounted the challenge of Trinity Meteors 84-78. In the lone Men’s Super League fixture this weekend, Bright St. Vincent’s suffered a 113-74 defeat at the hands of Maree at home on Saturday night.
It’s proving increasingly tight in the shake-up for play-off positions in Women’s Super League, with no less than four teams now tied in third place on 24 points following Saturday night’s action in the top tier.
Among them are The Address UCC Glanmire, who moved neck and neck with Killester after they beat the defending champions 78-71 in Clontarf.
Trinity Oliver put up a game-best 23 points, along with 11 rebounds, for the Cork side, while DelJanae Williams and Aine McKenna combined for a further 28 on the scoreboard to help keep the Dublin side at bay, Destiny Strother among their big hitters with 19 points.
“We're delighted with the win” said Mark Scannell, Glanmire head coach. “It was a very solid team performance and tonight our Americans were really good.
“Our depth and experience will really help as we head towards the playoffs. We’ve had a tough transitional season, but we're going in the right direction now” he insisted.
Trinity Meteors missed out on the chance to pull clear of the pack, as they suffered an 84-78 reversal at the hands of Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell, who have also subsequently move up into a share of third following Saturday’s productive road trip.
In what was an enthralling tussle down the stretch, Brunell just about managed to remain out in front, Deaja Richardson playing a key role in their success, as she served up a haul of 31 points, ten of which came in the fourth.
Edel Thornton and Trinity Hudson weighed in with a further 28 to help counter the impressive performance of Trinity’s Emma Merriweather and Sarah Kenny who, between them, chalked up 33 points and 36 rebounds on the night.
Delighted with this victory, Brunell head coach, Liam Culloty said “We played really well defensively especially in the second quarter and the energy from our bench was terrific throughout the game.
“It pushes us into the top four, but I'm sure there will be a lot of movement of positions over the last three games.
“We’re looking to be as consistent as possible in the remaining games to finish as high as possible” he said.
Utility Trust St. Paul’s held firm in the face of a fourth-quarter comeback by Midlands Park Portlaoise Panthers to dig out a 47-41 victory in St. Mary’s Hall on Sunday.
Unbeaten throughout the month of February, the Kerry side’s hopes of reaching this season’s play-offs were helped, no end, by their hard-fought triumph over a Portlaoise side that also harbours aspirations of finishing among the top eight.
An eight-point run in the fourth quarter saw Portlaoise restore parity at 41 points apiece with just over a minute remaining, but St. Paul’s demonstrated great resolve down the stretch with crucial buckets from Callie Cavanaugh and Gracen Kerr that saw them each total 14 on the day.
“It was a gutsy performance” remarked James Fleming, St. Paul’s head coach. “Defensively, we played really well. Offensively, we struggled, but both teams know each other so well, it was always going to be like that” he said.
It was a second successful trip to Cork in the space of a week for second place, FloMAX Liffey Celtics as they beat Catalyst Fr. Mathews 87-63 to improve their record in Women’s Super League to 11 and 4.
A big second quarter in which they outgunned their hosts by 16 points went a long way to seeing the Leixlip side secure victory, Sorcha Tiernan and Allie Navarette serving up 40 points between them, while Áine O’Connor, Eboni Williams and Rachel Huijsdens combined for 20 rebounds.
Shannon Brady and Kyra White were the most prolific for Fr. Mathews, but their 33-point total could not help prevent the Cork side shipping a third loss of the season to Celtics and one that will only increase the pressure in their bid to clinch a play-off berth.
Despite a gritty performance by University of Galway Mystics that saw them put up their third highest game total of the season so far, they suffered a 93-69 defeat at the hands of Women’s Super League leaders, SETU Waterford Wildcats in Mercy College.
The bottom side managed to take both the first and fourth quarters on Saturday evening, but dropped 32 points in between, as Chelsea Cain and Ashia McCalla inflicted heavy damage for the hosts that amounted to 55 points.
Galway did finish with four players in double digits, among them Shannon Cunningham on 19 and Kara McCleane on 16.
In the only Men’s Super League fixture of the weekend, Bright St. Vincent’s missed out on the opportunity to pick up some valuable points in their bid for survival after they suffered a 113-74 defeat at the hands of Maree in what was the first of two home games in as many days for the Dublin side.
St. Vincent’s were left facing a 16-point deficit by the close of the first quarter and that uphill task grew even steeper by the half-time break as Maree widened the gap to 25.
Miles Brown and Joshua McGettigan spearheaded the Galway side’s offence with a huge 59 points, the latter also combining with Eoin Rockall for 22 rebounds and seven assists.
St. Vincent’s will go again on Monday night when they play host to a UCD Marian outfit looking to keep themselves firmly among the play-off berths.
A hard-fought 88-73 victory over Tipp Talons in St. Mary’s Hall on Friday night saw ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers secure top spot in this season’s Men’s Division One North Conference.
A double win on the road this weekend for Ulster University against Scotts Lakers Killarney (85-72) on Saturday night and Limerick Sport Eagles (97-68) in UL Arena on Sunday afternoon saw them secure a play-off berth.
Drogheda Wolves’ play-off hopes were dented somewhat following their 92-83 road defeat at the hands of Titans BC, who have subsequently tightened their grip on a top-four finish in the South Conference.
Moy Tolka Rovers kept themselves well in with a shout of a runners-up finish in the North Conference after they picked up a 94-83 win at home against Limerick Sport Eagles.
Maigh Cuilinn were taken to overtime by a Carrick Cruisers team that closed a 12-point gap in the fourth quarter, but it was the Galway side who returned home from Carrickmacross celebrating an 85-82 success.
Mater Private Malahide pulled clear in the fourth for a 112-104 victory over SETU Waterford Vikings in Carrickpherish Hall, while Team NorthWest carded a 93-73 triumph over Killarney Cougars in ATU Donegal and South Conference winners, Limerick Celtics moved to 19 and 0 in the table after they edged out Joels Dublin Lions 88-83 in Coláiste Bríde.
McEvoy’s Cavan Eagle’s 65-50 win away to Limerick Celtics in Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash in Crescent College saw them lock down top spot in Women’s Division One ahead of this season’s play-offs.
Oblate Dynamos ended a run of four defeats when they pipped Moy Tolka Rovers 73-72 in Saturday night’s Dublin derby.
It was an equally close affair up in Newforge Sports Complex, as Abbey Seals Dublin Lions got the better of their hosts, Cleveland Rockets 75-74, while in Nord Anglia, Limerick Sport Huskies served up an impressive defensive display to see off Templeogue 77-41.
