'Under pressure' Killester find way to win against Glanmire

UCC Glanmire's Viane Cumber is challenged by Michelle Clarke of Killester. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom Maher.

It will be a repeat of last year’s Paudie O’Connor Women’s National Cup final with Liffey Celtics and Killester locking horns for the title at the National Basketball Arena on Sunday, January 18.

Killester produced champagne basketball in the fourth quarter that blitzed Career Decisions UCC Glanmire 77-65 in a highly competitive clash at Neptune stadium.

For captain Michelle Clarke it was a great result for the team who had problems going into the game.

“I was under the weather all week on the build-up and I am just glad I found the energy to help my team, and with our American Samantha Haiby coming off two weeks sidelined with injury, we were under pressure,” said Clarke.

Losing to Liffey Celtics in the final last year made Killester all that bit more determined to get back to the final.

“I think we were so disappointed last year with our display in the final we wanted so bad to get back to the arena and now we have it all to do again against a very good Liffey Celtics team,” said Clarke.

It was evident both sides were going for the jugular in the early exchanges and when Killester'a American Audrey Roden went coast to coast in the third minute it edged her side into a 10-7 lead.

Glanmire did get a run on their Dublin opponents and consecutive baskets from Claire O’Sullivan helped them race into a four-point lead in the eighth minute.

Haiby, who missed a league game prior to this clash, didn’t look comfortable but just before being substituted in the final minute she did manage to nail a three pointer.

Glanmire, through guts and determination, led 22-18 entering the second quarter but it was Killester who started this period better with a brace of Leva Bagdanaviciene baskets that edged them ahead by the minimum in the 14th minute.

Midway through this period both teams were struggling to score as defence was now being played with sheer intensity.

The return of Haiby certainly helped Killester as she now looked to finding her rhythm shooting a three pointer and two free throws that had the Clontarf side leading 33-28 with three minutes remaining to the interval.

Watkins came to the rescue of Glanmire when the game threatened to run away from them, but a couple of careless turnovers halted their revival.

Aine McKenna, one of the longest serving players at this level, made an impact with 45 seconds remaining when hitting a lovely baseline jumper that reduced the deficit to two points with Killester calling a time out.

On the resumption, Bagdanaviciene punished Glanmire for an error and it was the Dublin side that took a four-point interval lead 37-33.

It looked for long periods in the third quarter that Killester were struggling but Glanmire couldn’t punish them despite getting numerous scoring opportunities.

In the closing minutes, both sides increased the tempo, but a late Hannah Thornton lay-up ensured Killester had a four point cushion 52-48 entering the fourth quarter.

Midway through the quarter Killester commanded a nine-point lead before Haiby stepped up and made it a 12-point game with a monstrous three pointer.

In the second semi-final Liffey Celtics defeated Trinity Meteors 69-57 with a tremendous fourth quarter that finally eclipsed the brave Dubliners' challenge.

The Kildare side, courtesy of a solid opening half, and helped by the shooting of Sorcha Tiernan and Brooke Kane, commanded a 38-31 interval lead.

Credit to Trinity, they battled hard on the restart and with Celtics struggling on offence, the lead was down to the minimum 48-47 entering the final quarter.

Coming down the stretch, Celtics played champagne basketball and with Meteors' Hazel Finn restricted to a mere two points they outscored their opponents 21-10 to seal the deal.

For the Liffey Celtics' Irish Senior International Sorcha Tiernan, it was a result the club needed.

“This win means so much to us as we have had a very tough year and despite not playing our best basketball, we found the energy coming down the stretch to get the job done,” said Tiernan.