Kieran Shannon: Irish basketball gets back on Europe's big stage
Gráinne Dwyer is the lone survivor from Ireland’s last Eurobasket qualifying campaign in 2008-09. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
It was supposed to be only Michelle’s last time in green in the Arena, not everyone else’s too.
Twelve years ago Irish women’s basketball seemed on the verge of something special and winning promotion to the European A division. They had beaten Slovenia and Switzerland both home and away in their group. They’d only lost by three points to a Montenegro team that would win its first five games at the following Eurobasket championships, including a shock win over eventual champions France. Beat Iceland away and the Netherlands at home in their final leg of games and Ireland were into the playoffs and the big league.
