Coláiste Choilm win first senior basketball title

Coláiste Choilm Ballincollig 52 Patrician College Newbridge 51: Coláiste Choilm, Ballincollig won the U19A All-Ireland Schools League in dramatic fashion, beating Patrician College Newbridge with the last score of the game at the National Arena.

The final was tied at 51-51 with two seconds remaining when a moment of inexperience from the Kildare side gave Ballincollig the chance to win their first ever Senior ‘A’ title from the free-throw line. Dylan Brickley made the basket and Bryan Murphy claimed the rebound on the follow-up to spark scenes of pure elation.

Coach Francis O’Sullivan had sympathy for Patrician but thanked his squad for gift of a winners’ medal on his birthday.

“I’ve been on the end of a couple of defeats like that,” said the coach. “You’re still dealing with underage players in the cauldron of a noisy arena and they’re learning how to play this sport at the next level. The support the school has given the sport of basketball has been immense too.”

Holy Faith continued their dominance of U16A Girls basketball with a 53-35 win over Scoil Chríost Rí Portlaoise. The Clontarf side were in double digits inside four minutes as Bronagh Power-Cassidy drove hard on the baseline and Elizabeth Black capped a 13-0 run. They went on to be the only girls’ side to notch a 20-point quarter across six games at finals week.

Holy Faith made it a clean sweep of the league at ‘A’ level as the U19 side proved too strong for Ardscoil Rathangan. Three of the U16 side came back in for the win, but the senior players were already gunning for victory after recent defeat to the same side at the Subway Schools Cup Finals.

U19A Boys All-Ireland Schools League Final:

Coláiste Choilm 52 Patrician Newbridge 51:

Coláiste Choilm:

Bryan Murphy 12, Dylan Brickley 5, Dylan Corkery 7, Emmanuel Anaba 2, Conor O’Sullivan 19. Subs: Darragh O’Sullivan 4, John Agorh, Jack Lynch, Jack Murphy 3, Michael Lynch, Eoin O’Reilly David McMahon.

Patrician Newbridge:

David Marnell 13, Eoin O’Conor, Niall O’Conor 10, Louis Ambrose 12, Conor Hartley 13. Subs: Calum Sourke, Colm Harnett, Mark Dempsey 2, Colin Barrett, Conor Smyth, Cillian De Barra, David Herd.

MVP:

Conor O’Sullivan

U16A Girls All-Ireland Schools League Final:

Holy Faith Clontarf 53 Scoil Chríost Rí 35

Holy Faith Clontarf: Bronagh Power- Cassidy 15, Niamh Kenny 7, Elizabeth Black 9, Niamh Corry 2, Maeve Ó Séadhgha 20. Subs: Aine Walsh, Kim Clarke, Rebecca Dodd, Ciara Owens, Emma Crumlish, Laura Owens, Niamh Hetherton, Sarah Browne Scoil Chriost Ri, Portlaoise: Aibhe Griffin 7, Amy Byrne 2, Erone Fitzpatrick 2, Alice Dunne 5, Maeve Phelan 19. Subs: Leah Dowling, Sarah Fleming, Sophie Delahunt, Eimear Healy, Maria Luttrell, Ellen Connolly, Maria Carroll.

MVP:

Bronagh Power-Cassidy

U19A Girls All-Ireland Schools League Final:

Holy Faith Clontarf 58 Ard Scoil Rathangan 32

Holy Faith, Clontarf: Saoirse Power-Cassidy 13, Tiffany Erin Brockman, Aisling Carberry, Maeve McDermott, Ali Connolly 6. Subs: Deborah Sealy, Ruth Fennell 3, Mae Creane 5, Bronagh Power-Cassidy 9, Niamh Kenny, Elizabeth Black 8, Ciara Curran 5, Maeve O’Seaghdha 6. Ard Scoil Rathangan: Claire Melia 8, Kelly Ann Scully 5, Aine Nash 9, Sinead Byrne 4, May O’Brien 5. Subs: Alanna McLoughlin, Laura Dempsey, Emma Doolin, Niamh Burke, Dominika Synowska.

MVP:

Saoirse Power-Cassidy