Rejuvenated Glanmire out to show DCU no mercy

TEAM Montenotte Hotel Cork will bid for their fourth national cup title when they take on DCU Mercy in tomorrow’s women’s Superleague final and if they succeed, it will be sensational after losing five of their superstars from last year.

“The key to our team has been the continuity,” coach Mark Scannell said.

“Every year, it has been somebody else. I mean we lost five fantastic players this year, Nollaig Cleary, Denise Walsh, Gráinne Dwyer, Jennifer Strong and Michelle Fahy. I don’t think any other team could live with that type of loss.”

Both Mark Scannell and the Mercy coach, Mark Ingle, predict an exciting final – something on a par with last year’s semi-final when it took double overtime to produce a one-point victory in favour of the Glanmire side.

That was a fourth semi-final loss in a row for DCU Mercy so when Mark Ingle drove to Neptune Stadium for this year’s semi-final against University of Limerick, he parked his car on nearby Redemption Road.

“I think our theme for this year was redemption,” he said. “We just could not take another semi-final loss.

“Now we’re looking forward to our first final as a club but more importantly I think if there is one game the girls would want to play in, it would be with Montenotte.”

Glanmire got three teams through to finals – they won all three titles three years ago – but the big one is tomorrow and Mark Scannell wants it as much as anyone else involved.

“But a run like this should never be taken for granted,” he said. “We may never reach another cup final so you have to enjoy these when they come along.”

“This team has given me a real zest of enthusiasm. The younger players have given us all a boost and they have complimented the likes of Claire (Rockall) who came in and Marie (Breen) who is back after a year away.”

When the sides met on the opening day of the season, Montenotte recorded a slender 57-53 win but that won’t be a yardstick when they go into battle in arguably their most important game of the year.

“Our game is a team effort built on defence,” Scannell said.

“Whatever happens after that, we take our chances. I think we have enough threats offensively.”

“Hopefully it will be a classic final because our sport needs it,” Mark Ingle said. “I hope it goes right down to the wire – and hopefully we’ll win the game.”