Team Montenotte Cork have set up a repeat of the 2011 Nivea Womens SuperLeague Final after they beat DCU Mercy 79-68 in Sundays semi-final.
The Cork sides dominance of the league ended at the hands of UL last year but they will have the chance to make amends when they face James Weldons side in Fridays final.
'Not many people gave us a chance of beating DCU and I'm sure not many will think we have a chance next week,' said Montenotte Head Coach Cormac O'Donoghue. 'There is no pressure on us. The last two times we played UL, we were ahead at half time but we need to maintain that intensity for 40 minutes. UL are a phenomenal team but we are delighted to get to the final. We have a young team, who probably havent got the credit they deserve this season.
An entertaining first quarter saw DCU Mercy lead by a solitary point (16-15). Montenotte started brightly but Mercy pressed and good shooting from Sarah McGrath gave the Dubliners a slight advantage.
A combination of good defence and the likes of Claire Rockall dominating on the boards saw the lead turn in the favour of Montenotte (38-30).
Mercy responded in the third quarter and restored parity (53-53) with Suzanne Maguire and Shauna OConnor converting a number of big three pointers.
Montenotte refused to panic and with 3.38 left on the clock, they lead by nine points. There was to be no way back for Mercy, who had Helena Kenny, Lisa Palmer and Suzanne Maguire fouled out in a frustrating final quarter.
UL are on course for the treble after booking their place in the final following a comfortable 30 point (80-50) win at home to Waterford Wildcats.
This latest success was the Limerick clubs 34th consecutive win and meant they had now gone two entire seasons without losing at home.
The signs were ominous early on when UL raced into a 9-0 lead with Louise Galvin and Rachel Clancy to the fore. Veteran campaigner Jenny Coady did her utmost for Wildcats but she was unable to stop the reigning champions from progressing.
I thought this was probably the most complete display since we won the cup, said UL Head Coach James Weldon. I thought that everyone was tuned in for the 40 minutes and nobody let their guard down.
There is nothing like winning and it breeds confidence so hopefully we can carry it into another massive night at the National Basketball Arena next Friday.
Basketball Ireland Weekly Results
National League Semi Final Play Offs
Saturday, March 17th 2012
Nivea Womens SuperLeague Semi Final Play Offs
UL Basketball Club 80 (37) (L Galvin 20, R Vanderwal 16, L Maher 10) Waterford Wildcats 50 (21) (J Coady 18, C Kavanagh 11, N Mullally 8)
Sunday, March 18th 2012
Nivea Womens SuperLeague Semi Final Play Offs Team Montenotte Hotel 79 (38) (C Rockall 38, G Dwyer 11, A O'Regan 6) DCU Mercy 68 (30) (S O'Connor 15, S Woods 14, L Palmer 14)
Courtesy : Louise O Loughlin .... www.basketballireland.ie
Womens A FinalUCD 65 (29) (E Mairtin 20, A McLoughlin 13) UL 62 (32) (A McDermott 26, S McGorry 17)Womens B FinalCarlow IT 48 (16) (L McCormack 21, K Delahunt 8) Cork IT 61 (19) (A Estaban 21, M Pichet 19)Womens A Intervarsity Final: UCD v UL (3pm @ UCC Mardyke Arena)UCD 65UL 62A slow start for defending champions UL as UCD ran out to an early 4-0 lead, prompting UL head coach Davy Keogh to call a time out after just three minutes [read more]
Womens A Final
UCD 65 (29) (E Mairtin 20, A McLoughlin 13) UL 62 (32) (A McDermott 26, S McGorry 17)
Womens B Final
Carlow IT 48 (16) (L McCormack 21, K Delahunt 8) Cork IT 61 (19) (A Estaban 21, M Pichet 19)
Womens A Intervarsity Final: UCD v UL
(3pm @ UCC Mardyke Arena)
UCD 65
UL 62
A slow start for defending champions UL as UCD ran out to an early 4-0 lead, prompting UL head coach Davy Keogh to call a time out after just three minutes. Still a nervy quarter followed for both teams with Sarah Woods (UCD) and Aoife McDermott (UL) providing the offensive punch for their teams.
The first quarter finished 14-10 to the Limerick College as the crowd began to fill the stands at the Mardyke Arena.
The second quarter saw the battle of the boards between Ailish McLaughlin (UCD) and Sarah McGorry (UL). The players somewhat cancelled each other out however and with UCD unable to get a score in the opening five minutes of the second quarter, Sinead Deegan (UL) was able to find her teammates on the resulting possessions for good looks as they pushed their lead out to fifteen midway through the second.
Eventually UCD found their feet and shots started to drop courtesy of Beth Meany and Indira Kaljo allowing them to crawl right back to within three points, 32-29 at the end of the first half.
Both teams traded baskets in the third with Eimear Mairtin (UCD) slashing through the UL defence and kissing it off the glass for two. McGorry and McDermott for UL were causing problems for UCD defending their key and as a result UCD had to double down in the post. This left Carol McCarthy (UL) open to knock down the open jumper.
Lorraine Scanlon introduction in this quarter caused more headaches for UCD as she only added to ULs movement inside the paint. The third quarter finished out 45-42 to UL, only three points between the sides.
Inside scores by McDermott (UL) and the hot hand of Woods (UCD) kept both teams afloat on offence during the final quarter with only two points between the sides and just over five minutes left.
UCD head coach Jay Fazande called a time out to rally his girls for the last stretch of the game. A huge offensive rebound and spin move by Ailish McLoughlin then a steal on the following play by Sarah Woods for UCD brought the game back to an even playing field and the crowd on the edge of their seats.
Back to back threes by Carol McCarthy (UL) and Eimear Mairtin (UCD) had more ohs and ahs from the crowd as the UL lead narrowed to two with under two minutes left.
McGorry again stepped up the challenge and knocked down a long two to extend their lead to four and forced UCD to call a time out with one minute twelve on the clock. McLoughlin and Kaljo (UCD) knocked down their own jumpers to in the next two possessions to enliven the contest again at 62-62. A buzzer beating three by Eimear Mairtin had everyone in the gym on their feet as UCD took the Womens 'A' trophy back to Dublin. Final score 65-62.
UCD 65 (29) (E Mairtin 20, A McLoughlin 13) UL 62 (32) (A McDermott 26, S McGorry 17)
A Womens All Stars:
Sarah McGorry (UL)
Aoife McDermott (UL)
Sarah Woods (UCD)
Eimear Mairtin (UCD)
Mairead McNally (QUB)
Womens B Intervarsity Final: I.T. Carlow v Cork I.T.
(11am @ UCC Mardyke Arena)
Cork IT 61
IT Carlow 48
An edgy opening to the finals day with I.T. Carlow facing Cork I.T. in the womens B final. Both teams traded basket for basket in the opening half with some decisive penetration by Sam Cooney (Cork I.T.) and Asling Hayden (I.T. Carlow) to lead the way.
Kris Delahunt (I.T. Carlow) commanded the paint with numerous rebounds and offensive put-backs but she was tested every time by Cork I.T.s captain Anna Estaban. At the end of the first quarter I.T. Carlow lead by one, 9-8 but the Cork side regained the lead at the half 19-16.
Both sides continued to pound the ball inside in the third quarter resulting in numerous trips to the free throw line. A start stop quarter was the result as both teams continued their high intensity both on the offensive and defensive end. Cork I.T. pushed out with a narrow lead 40-36 as they entered the final quarter. However Lorraine McCormack kept the Cork I.T. perimeter defence honest as she knocked down three rainbows from outside in this quarter alone.
Milena Pichet (Cork I.T.) proved to be a pest for the I.T. Carlow defence with her running floaters and outside shooting as the Carlow College trailed by seven points with five minutes remaining. I.T. Carlow head coach Martin Conroy utilised his bench rotating fresh legs but a mixture of inside outside passing by Cork I.T. proved too much to handle. Cork I.T. ran out eventual winners 61-48.
Our defence won the game for us. We kept playing right to the final whistle and didnt give up, said team captain Anna Estaban.
Everyone chipped in one to twelve and communication on the court was very important. Its a great achievement for the college and we are looking forward to A basketball next year.
MVP of the game was deservedly Milena Pichet (Cork I.T.) as I.T. Carlow had no answer to stop her as she drained jumpers over Carlow defence.
Carlow IT 48 (16) (L McCormack 21, K Delahunt 8) Cork IT 61 (19) (A Estaban 21, M Pichet 19)
U16 Girls to host series against Ireland - Mar 29, 2013
POSTED BY:
EUROBASKET NEWS
follow us on
England U16 girls continue their preparation for the upcoming European Championships by hosting Ireland for a pair of games at Barking Abbey next week.
The games are on April 4 at 6pm and April 5 at 12pm. They are open to the public, with a nominal cost of 1 for entry.
England will be represented in the games by the recently announced squad as they build towards the FIBA Europe U16 Women European Championship B Division in Portugal in August [read more]
England U16 girls continue their preparation for the upcoming European Championships by hosting Ireland for a pair of games at Barking Abbey next week.
The games are on April 4 at 6pm and April 5 at 12pm. They are open to the public, with a nominal cost of 1 for entry.
England will be represented in the games by the recently announced squad as they build towards the FIBA Europe U16 Women European Championship B Division in Portugal in August.
Head of Performance Warwick Cann commented: "On behalf of England basketball and our national junior teams I welcome Ireland to London for a series of U16 women's games. Best wishes to both teams as they continue to prepare and develop individually and as a group. International competition is an important part of our young players development so we are most grateful to Ireland for travelling to us for these games.
In July our U17 squads [Boys and Girls New Horizons squads] will reciprocate and travel to Ireland for training and games to continue the good relationships between the two countries."
Head coach Karen Burton commented: "We always look forward to playing games against Ireland as they are always hard fought games which are played in the right spirit. We see these games as an essential part of our preparation for the European Championship." Courtesy of: http://www.englandbasketball.co.uk
Emotions High as Champions are Crowned at the National Basketball Arena
[The Inaugural National Champions Trophy as well as the Nivea Womens SuperLeague, Men and Womens Division One and Nivea Womens SuperLeague Plate finals were all contested over the weekend at the National Basketball Arena]
The difference between winning and losing is just phenomenal we are champions now and it is an unbelievable feeling [read more]
Emotions High as Champions are Crowned at the National Basketball Arena
[The Inaugural National Champions Trophy as well as the Nivea Womens SuperLeague, Men and Womens Division One and Nivea Womens SuperLeague Plate finals were all contested over the weekend at the National Basketball Arena]
The difference between winning and losing is just phenomenal we are champions now and it is an unbelievable feeling.
Tralee Imperials head coach Liam Culloty summed up like few could the level of emotion on display at the National Basketball Arena over the weekend after he witnessed his team lift the Basketball Ireland Womens Division One title.
Imperials victory over Oblate Dynamos of Dublin, 53 to 24, was one of five finals played at the home of Irish basketball during the weekend. As the best teams from around Ireland battled it out for the right to be crowned champion, scenes of joy, despair and even relief were evident on court throughout the games.
To be honest, for this group of players, I think it is the monkey off the back, said a beaming Paul Kelleher, head coach of UCC Demons, after his team had captured the inaugural National Champions Trophy with a win over DCU Saints 73 to 62.
We have had so much building over the last three years, we were right there this year again, we were ten and one in the league and then, I wouldnt say we fell apart but we just lacked a bit of fluency, we had a couple of injuries and illnesses, guys in hospital stuff like that. It killed our momentum.
We knew we were always there, it was only a matter of getting over the hump - I am delighted for the younger lads, Im delighted for the older fellas, delighted for the club really.
Delight also translated into gratitude amidst the celebrations. For UL Huskies players, who captured the clubs third successive Nivea Womens SuperLeague title with a win over DCU Mercy 78 to 56, many were simply thankful to be part of what must be considered one of the greatest teams in the history of hoops in Ireland.
It is unbelievable, everything we do we do for each other. You would never miss a training for the girls. There is such a good team spirit and it is just unbelievable to play on a team like this, remarked Aoife McDermott, Huskies mobile power-forward.
Fortune can also play a major part in these things, as Basketball Ireland Mens Division One winning captain Tim OHalloran said of his Blue Demons sides acquisition of star French guard Christian Anon.
He came into the college and the Mardyke Arena where I work and just wanted to play a little bit of basketball and make a few friends and we got lucky to be honest.
Anon certainly made some friends Leeside this season, capping off a memorable few months with a superb display that earned him the finals Most Valuable Player award versus a fancied Matt OFlaherty Chemist Titans side. His play was a large reason for Demons 88 to 63 triumph and the first of two titles the Cork club would win over the weekend.
Again, it was Culloty of Tralee Imperials that summed up the over-riding emotions best for winning teams after the finals and the conclusion of what has been a long and thrilling domestic season of senior basketball.
We are just delighted with the win and are going to go celebrate for a good long time.
Copyright (c) 1998-2013 Eurobasket Inc. Disclaimer
WARNING:
Do not copy, redistribute, publish or otherwise exploit information that you download from the site !
Do not encumber, license, modify, publish, sell, transfer or transmit, or in any way exploit, any of the
content of the site, nor will you attempt to do so.
