Singletons reign supreme

Singletons SuperValu Donoughmore are the 2007 Senior Women National Cup Champions after a master class display against Sligo All-Stars at the National Basketball Arena this afternoon.

Donoughmore's Canadian star Rachael Vanderwal picked up the Most Valuable Player Award after a stunning display and ensured her side lay claim to the trophy.

The Cork side were dominant throughout and set an early pace form the beginning of the first quarter. Both Vanderwal and captain Fiona Lynch were among the points as Singletons moved into a 9-4 lead.

The All-Stars struggled with the strong defensive plays of Donoughmore and luck proved to be against them as they saw shot after shot failing to fall through the hoop.

Vanderwal added to Sligo's woes with a stunning three point score in the dying seconds of the quarter to gift Donoughmore a 14-6 at the close of the first period.

A similar pattern emerged in the second quarter with Vanderwal sinking another three pointer and Jean Kenny and Stacey Brosnan getting in on the scoring act. The All-Stars battled back with scores from Captain Louise Harte and Lorraine Dolan narrowing Donoughmore's gap.

Dolan continued to battle for the Westerners and with two further baskets the All Stars reduced Donoughmore's lead to five points: 23-18.

However, Kieran Doherty's side were unprepared to surrender their lead and by the half time break the score was 28-18 for the Rebels.

The penultimate period saw Donoughmore re-gain their vice-like grip on the lead with Fiona Lynch and Juilet Murphy in fine scoring form.

By the midway point in the quarter Donoughmore established a 15-point lead over Sligo and with Vanderwal and Aisling Codd maintaining a cool head with free throw conversions the gap grew even further to a massive 18 points.

There seemed little way back for Sligo now and their hopes were further diminished by the meanness of the Donoughmore defence. Despite this, Therese Kiernan's troops never dropped their heads and continued to battle right to the end and acquitted themselves admirably.

Going into the final quarter the scoreboard read 44-27 for Donoughmore.

In the final quarter Donoughmore continued to control the game. Vanderwal was adding to her 20 point points haul and Fiona Lynch as joining in on the scoring fun. Stacey Brosnan was dispatching free throws with frightening accuracy to maintain her side's dominance in the game.

Sligo maintained a scoring rhythm in the closing stages of the quarter to close the gulf in the scoring stakes but the final buzzer sounded with the scoreline confirming Singeltons SuperValu Donoughmore as Champions 59-38.