St Aidan’s early blitz crucial as Ballincollig’s brave fightback falls short
Victory was based on big players and a first-quarter blitz with the five starters all on the scoreboard inside the first five minutes. “I love playing with this team,” said 6’6’’ guard Matt Treacy. “We’ll go far again I hope. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.”
Ballincollig’s Dylan Corkery’s drained a three-pointer in the fourth but Treacy swung the game back in St. Aidan’s favour with a three off the right wing and 2/2 from the line.
Ballincollig Coach Francis O’Sullivan said: “We were expending so much energy on defence that we just couldn’t make the shots we normally make. Credit to St Aidan’s, they’re an explosive side.“
Claire Melia lit up the National Basketball Arena as Ardscoil Rathangan claimed the U19A Cup with a 69- 66 win over Holy Faith Clontarf. The game’s MVP scored 36 points, grabbed as many rebounds and iced the win with her 20th successful free-throw after Saoirse Power Cassidy leveled matters with a minute left.
Holy Faith Clontarf Head Coach Jerome Westbrooks said: “They played well and went to their strengths. We had our chances so it’s disappointing.”
His day had started out with victory for their U16A side. “Naturally we wanted to walk out of here with two wins, but the principal did say one out of two isn’t bad.”
The U16s were just too strong for Scoil Chríost Rí of Portlaoise, winning 61-20 before a raucous crowd. Their quick and accurate ball movement exploited any gaps in the midlanders’ defence and Bronagh Power Cassidy had 13 points up by half time.
Holy Faith had done enough to lead 33-8 at that stage but Críost Rí tripled their own tally in the third quarter. Erone Fitzpatrick hit a pair of threes either side of a neat euro-step from Maeve Phelan and good rebounding work from Emer Healy.
Portlaoise were returning to ‘A’ standard under Pat Critchley. “Sometimes you have to take that kind of game on the chin,” said the basketball coach and 1985 hurling All-Star. “The main thing is that we know what the standard is like now and we can be ready for it the next time out.”
CBS Thurles claimed an All-Ireland title for Tipperary with a 37-23 victory over St Nathy’s of Ballaghadereen in the SUBWAY All-Ireland U16C Boys Cup final.
“It should spur things on here,” said Thurles Coach Maureen Gallagher. “All the lads here play club basketball as well so it’s a win for the clubs too.”
St Aidan’s CBS 92, Coláiste Choilm Ballincollig 71
Brian Murphy 10, Dylan Corkery 11, Dylan Brickley 8, Emmanuel Anaba 2, Conor O’Sullivan 20.
David McMahon, Jack Murphy 9, Jack Lynch, Alan O’Leary, Darragh O’Sullivan 10.
Stephen Canning 13, Tariq Guebali 19, Brian Ashton 25, Emmet Lawless 7, Matt Treacy 23.
Cameron McCormack, Brian O’Connor, Ciaran McHugh 2, Nicol Drimal, Shane O’Leary, Shane Corcoran, Eric Redmond , Kian Auguste, Jordan Dowling, Aaron Dowling.
Holy Faith Clontarf 61 Scoil Chríost Rí 20
Erone Fitzpatrick 13, Maeve Phelan 4, Alice Dunne 2, Ailbe Griffin, Amy Byrne 1. Substitutes: Sophie Delahunt, Leah Dowling, Emer Healy, Maria Luttrell, Jasmin Burke, Maria Carroll, Ellen Connolly, Sarah Fleming Holy Faith
Bronagh Power-Cassidy 13, Niamh Kenny 7, Elizabeth Black 12, Niamh Corry, Maeve O’Seaghdha 18. Substitutes: Aine Walsh 5, Aoibhe Cunningham, Sarah Browne, Kim Clarke 2, Katie Doyle, Rebecca Dodd, Ciara Owens, Emma Crumlish, Laura Owens, Niamh Hetherton 4, Grainne Perryman
Ardscoil Rathangan 69, Holy Faith Clontarf 66
Aisling Carberry, Saoirse Power-Cassidy 25, Tiffany Brockman, Maeve McDermott 2, Ciara Curran.
Deborah Sealy, Ruth Fennell 11, Sarah Malone, Niamh Corry, Maeve O’Seaghdha 2, Alison Connolly 9, Mae Creane, Bronagh Power-Cassidy 8, Niamh Kenny, Elizabeth Black.
Kelly-Anne Scully 14, Aine Nash 3, Claire Melia 36, Niamh Burke 1, Sinead Byrne 12. Substitutes: Alanna McLoughlin 2, Laura Dempsey, Emma Doolin, Dominika Sygnowska, May O’Brien.
CBS Thurles 37, St. Nathy’s Ballaghadereen 23
Arthur Geronimo 5, Liam Kenny 5, Patrick O’Gorman 10, Sean Mockler 12, Killian Ryan.
Blaine Carroll 2, Jack Ryan, Victor Hemon, Jorge Ruiz, Ciaran Kirwan, Jack Hehir, Patrick Tobin, St Nathy’s College,
David McBrien 6, David McHugh 2, Jamie Lunt 8, Rioghan Lowry, Gerard Forrest 1.
Ciaran Guilfoyle, Chris Kennedy, Patrick O’Grady 2, Keelan O’Callaghan 4, Cian Tansey, Jack Craughwell, Adam McAllister, Joseph Waldron, Jack Freeman, Kieran Horan, Neil Dozio, Liam Coleman.
