Mercy hoping for final flourish

WHEN Montenotte Hotel Cork and DCU Mercy clash in the final of the Women’s Superleague National Cup on Sunday week, fans will be hoping for another classic. Last year’s semi-final went to double overtime before the champions came out on top, winning a third successive cup title.

It was a fourth successive semi-final defeat for Mercy and coach, Mark Ingle had little difficulty recalling a day of bitter disappointment after the Dublin side qualified for this year’s final with a hard-earned victory over UL at Neptune Stadium on Sunday.

“This was a real big hurdle for us because we have lost four semi-finals in a row,” he admitted. “It is not always just about the basketball. Sometimes it is a little bit of mental strength, making the right decision at the right time and toughing it out. We probably lost one of the best basketball games ever seen in this country in double overtime last year. We felt that, after playing so well and being in control, it was still basket for basket but they made the great shots to win the game.”

The schedule for what promises to be an exciting cup final weekend was confirmed yesterday and Team Montenotte coach, Mark Scannell, is looking forward to it more than anyone else after watching his new-look side demolish Meteors in the semi-final.

“The key to our team has been continuity,” he said. “We lost five fantastic players this year in Nollaig, Denise, Gráinne, Jennifer and Michelle Fahy. I don’t think any other team could live with that type of loss. We have done it so far.

“We had five young kids there today – four of them playing in their first cup semi-final at senior level. They have watched the others in the cup for the last number of years and now they want a piece of the action. I know they have been there underage but senior is different.

“My job is to prepare them, to work them hard in training. The likes of Marie Breen provides great leadership. Niamh Dwyer is a great leader, too, and they do the stuff with the younger kids. The beauty of Glanmire this year is we have younger kids, we have hunger and we have a new breed coming through.”

Ingle is home for a final to remember. “Hopefully it will be a classic,” said Ingle. “Our sport needs it. I hope it goes down to the wire – double overtime – and we win the game.”

The men’s semi-final between UCC Demons and NEH Neptune on Sunday provided everything the full house at Neptune Stadium could ask for as regards excitement and atmosphere.

Now the Men’s Superleague final sees UCC Demons and Killester in a repeat of last year’s pairing which went to the wire. Demons came out on top and went on to complete the double in the final of the SuperLeague.

“I was disappointed last year because we had a great team and the opportunity was there to win both league and cup. Losing both – the sick feeling is still there,” Killester coach, Mark Keenan, admitted after Sunday’s semi-final victory over UCD Marian.

“We have a chance now to amend one of those anyway in the cup final.”