Greenhills teams fall at the final hurdle
THERE were disappointment but also great pride as two teams from Our Lady’s College Greenhills lost their Secondary School Association Finals at the National Basketball Arena last Thursday.
Accompanying them to Tallaght was a bus full of supporters and it was a particularly fine achievement to have the Under-19B team playing in their second final in as many years, reaching the Division 1 final with no club players, in a division where all the other teams competing had at least one.
Their opponents Maryfield College from Drumcondra were on fire in the first quarter. One of their club players hit two excellent three-pointers and Lynn Victory was the only scorer in this quarter for the Boynesiders who found themselves 16-2 down.
The Drogheda girls started to play better in the second quarter, during which Rachel Beirth added three points and Victory a further four and 10 points separated the teams at the half-way point.
Niamh Cullen kept the momentum going as she got two excellent baskets, while excellent defence by Caoimhe Doherty and Benita Assoua kept the Drumcondra scoreless. Lynn Victory produced a tremendous shot to close the gap to a single basket, only for Maryfield to convert one free throw following a foul. Our Lady’s tried to get one more shot off, but time ran out and the buzzer sounded with Maryfield the 20-17 victors.
After such an epic comeback, the disappointment was even greater, but there was consolation during the presentations as the final’s Most Valuable Player award went to Lynn Victory.
Next up was the Third Year Under-16 Division 2 side, playing in their first-ever final against St Mary’s Glasnevin. The previous time these teams met it did not end well for the ‘College’ as they lost by 32 points, and it was a similar story here as the opposition stormed into the lead.
Despite some great performances by Grace Woods, Teigan Kavanagh and Alma Harrak the Boynesiders were 22-5 down at the half-time interval.
To their credit they kept going until the end, and while they lost 42-11 in the end there were similes all round as they picked up their silver medals.
Meanwhile, the Our Lady’s 1st Year A team kicked off their season last week in Division 2 away to Drumcondra’s Maryfield College, who had already played three games.
With Aisling Crinion and Rama Harrak both on target the score was tied at 4-4 after quarter one. Neither team scored in the second quarter, and Maryfield added a single basket to their total in the third.
Now trailing 6-4, the Boynesiders found their feet in the final period and some fine defence by Sarah Back-Herke and Catherine Moore helped keep their opponents scoreless. At the other end point guard Lily Sheeran ran in three lay-ups as the Greenhills collected a 10-6 win.
UNDER-19: Shona Bradley; Benita Assoua; Rachel Beirth 3pts; Eimear Clarke; Niamh Cullen 4; Caoimhe Doherty; Chantelle Gallagher; Catherine Grey; Katie McCabe; Josephine Ogbanga; Keelin O’Reilly 2; Lynn Victory 8.
UNDER-16: Uyi Aghavbere; Success Agbonifo; Grace Awe 2pts; Molly Durnin; Lily Mae Harmon 1; Alma Harrak 2; Teigan Kavanagh; Stephanie Obisan; Desiree Ofodile; Gabriella Orackova; Katie Ryan; Grace Woods 6.
1ST YEAR: Sarah Bäck-Herke; Ella Carter; Aisling Crinion 2pts; Madison Gaffney; Ali Gardiner; Rama Harrak 2; Yasmin Ibrahim; Aoife Kane; Anitah Kembo; Isabelle Matthews; Leah McElearney; Catherine Moore; Sarah Red; Eili Ryan, Lily Sheeran 6.