University of Limerick 64 DCU Mercy 27 By John Coughlan
Saturday, February 04, 2012
UL were crowned women’s cup champions following their comfortable win over DCU Mercy at the National Basketball Arena last night.
In a game that will best remembered for low scoring and turnovers, the Limerick side despite a slow start, always looked likely winners.
It was obvious in the opening exchanges that UL were rattled as DCU were playing hard woman-to-woman defence and it took them almost three minutes to score their opening basket, courtesy of Louise Galvin.
The Dublin side although shutting down the various UL threats were struggling in the offence court and after four minutes, trailed by a point.
It was amazing despite the high tempo of the game both sides had only managed five points between them with various shots and passes going astray.
The UL coach James Weldon looked puzzled as his side consistently turned over the ball with coach Mark Ingle resorting to rotating his players.
Rachael Vanderwal was getting close attention and did not score her opening basket until the seventh minute that edged her side into an 8-4 lead.
The standard of scoring deteriorated as the quarter matured but the Arena erupted when the DCU captain Lindsay Peat scored a monstrous three pointer with six seconds left in the quarter.
Trailing 10-7 entering the second period, their statistics showed DCU had only scored one shot from 11 attempts inside the perimeter.
Suzanne Maguire got DCU up and running with a deft drive to the hoop that brought the minimum between the sides before Galvin restored UL’s three-point advantage to leave the scores at 12-9.
The Limerick side were now in the ascendancy and when Galvin added a further basket in the 16th minute they had stretched their lead to seven points.
Both teams continued to show intensity at both ends of the floor and with 2.30 remaining to the interval, the UL coach decided a time-out was needed.
Miriam Liston gave UL some breathing space when she nailed a three-pointer with 20 seconds left that saw the Shannonsiders go in at half-time leading 23-13.
With such a low-scoring first half, statistics were X-rated as UL had 9/30 (30%) inside the perimeter and 1/1 (100%) from outside. DCU’s overall play was disappointing as they had a 4/21 (19%) with a 1/10 (10%) rating outside the perimeter.
This game needed an injection of life and for DCU, they needed players to step up to the mark in offence.
A Vanderwal basket, only her third of the game, gave the Limerick side the perfect start as DCU looked in trouble. Shauna O’Connor gave DCU a ray of hope with a three pointer in the 25th minute but it was short-lived as Vanderwal went coast to coast to finish with a stunning basket.
For the remainder of the quarter UL, inspired by Fahy and Vanderwal, punished DCU Mercy’s defence at will and entering the final quarter stretched their lead to 40-18.
With Fahy continuing to show her class this final was over long before the final buzzer. After the game UL’s coach James Weldon praised his team in the manner they closed out this final.
"This team deserve everything they get," he said. "I am thrilled they have at last won this championship as I think after 28 unbeaten games you deserve to win a championship of this magnitude."
MVP: Michelle Fahy (UL).
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Saturday, February 04, 2012
