Stunning Killester dash UL three-in-a-row dream

DART Killester 57 UL Aughinish 53

Baby Ellie wasn’t born the last time UL lost a competitive game, but their 52-game winning streak, and three-in-a-row Cup dreams came to a sensational end yesterday.

Medals are not new to Catriona White - she already holds three cup and five SuperLeague medals, won alongside UL star Michelle Aspell - but this was probably her sweetest.

“I’m a veteran now,” she said. “I played with Wildcats for 15 years. But I took time out and I got a great welcome from Killester.” And she responded in kind with the baskets that turned the game around for them when it appeared as if UL were about to power to another success.

Despite a customary slow start, the Limerick side battled back to lead 19-17 at the end of the first quarter - three pointers from Syreeta Bromfield and Michelle Aspell and some superb work under the boards at both ends from Neasa O’Keeffe kept them up with the pace.

Then White struck for the first time midway through the second quarter. Tipperary girl Dearbhla Breen had landed a lights-out three pointer for UL but the cheering had hardly subsided when White replicated the feat at the other end.

That score gave Killester a new impetus and Carmel Kissane levelled matters. Half time arrived and UL again found themselves in front (28-26), thanks to big contributions from Breen, Aspell (on defensive boards), and Neasa O’Keeffe.

Kissane and O’Keeffe propelled UL six points clear, asking Killester the hard questions. Gillian Morris pulled back a basket and Ashley Luke, star of Killester’s semi-final win, restored their lead with a three pointer with 30 seconds remaining in the quarter but Neasa O’Keeffe struck to leave UL in front 42-41.

UL stretched their lead but could never put daylight between the teams. Suzanne Maguire pulled back a basket and it was Catriona White who struck with a three pointer to level affairs - and followed it with two baskets to put Killester four clear.

“I felt at the start of the third quarter we were not scoring, and I was a bit anxious,” Killester coach Maeve Howard admitted. “UL went five up and we started to work hard. When we play defence like that, it is hard to score against us.”

UL coach Tony Hehir pointed out that there was a lot of pressure on them. “We went into the game with 52 straight wins and that is an awful burden in itself,” he said. “Then there was all the talk about three in a row. We tried to block it out but it does not work. But the girls just did not get going today. We played too much individual basketball and it lost us the game.”

Top scorers: DART Killester: Catriona White 13 pts, Carmel Kissane and Suzanne Maguire 10 apiece and Ashley Luke and Gillian Morris 9 each. UL Aughinish: Neasa O’Keeffe 16, Michelle Aspell and Dearbhla Breen 13 each and Syreeta Bromfield 7.