McKenna breaks Cougars hearts in Under 12 Plate final

UNDER 12 GIRLS DIVISION 3 PLATE FINAL Tralee Imperials 21 TK Cougars 20 (after one period of overtime)

COUGARS opened the scoring from the free throw line when Edel Horgan scored one from two but the opening quarter was scrappy with both sides letting the occasion get to them.

Scores were at a premium with Imperials adding two from the free throw line and a basket from Caoilinn O’Brien and on the buzzer Olivia Gaffey scored Cougars only field goal of the quarter as Tralee Imperials led 4-3.

Orlaith McKenna with an early second quarter basket doubled Imperials lead and Allison McEvoy made it 8-3 as Cougars struggled on offence.

The third quarter saw Cougars outscore Imperials 10-4 thanks to great play by Olivia Gaffey (2) and three baskets in a row from Edel Horgan as Imperials struggled with the run and gun game of Gaffey and Cougars. Orlaith McKenna kept Imperials in touch with a good basket as Cougars led 17-14 at the end of the third.

Powerful rebounding by Olivia Gaffey kept Imperials out at the start of the final quarter with scores at a premium. Neither side could buy a score and Cougars still led by three with 1.52 left in the contest.

Then Imperials scored two rapid baskets from Holly Leen and Orlaith McKenna to take a one point lead 18-17 but Aimee Coffey tied the scores from the free throw line and so to overtime.

Coffey gave Cougars the lead from the free throw line, but up popped Orlaith McKenna to shoot the winning basket for Imperials and break Cougars hearts. If Olivia Gaffey had not been fouled out Cougars could have won but there were no losers in this epic battle.