Top-four spots in the bag as girls eye glory
IT proved a perfect week for the Our Lady’s College 1st and 2nd Year basketball teams as all four secured top-four spots in emphatic style.
On Tuesday the 2nd Year ‘B’ Division 2 team made the journey to Sutton to take on Santa Sabina in a match that was a must-win to be sure of a semi-final place.
Captain Rebecca Tully led by example from the start, scoring from the tip-off and hitting another eight points in the first quarter for a 15-0 lead.
The next five were not so prolific - Neda Totilaite was the only scorer - but they did manage to keep Santa Sabina scoreless again and with Stephanie Obisan and Lily Mae Harmon on target in the second half the Boynesiders ran out easy 27-4 winners.
On Thursday the 1st Year ‘A’ Division 2 and 2nd Year ‘A’ Premier teams travelled to Rathmines to take on St Louis High School.
The 1st years got the ball rolling and Joy Mooney wasted no time in showing her team’s intent as she opened their account. Further scores from Katie Dawson and the prolific Jessica Carron left the side 10-4 up at the first break.
The next five players also impressed as they too scored 10 points, with Heather Breen and Leah Brodigan combining well for a 20-7 half-time advantage.
The third quarter was a much closer affair - St Louis edged it 10-8 - but the Rathmines team were held scoreless in the final quarter and victory went to the visitors on a 37-17 scoreline, with Jessica Carron once again top-scoring with 14 points and Heather Breen hitting her season high with eight. The win leaves this team sitting on top of their side of the league, as they now await semi-final opposition.
The 2nd Year Premier Division game was next, and this was a slow burner - 2-1 to the visitors at the first break, with Subomi Dele the successful contributor.
The second quarter was more competitive, with Cliona McKernan making the difference under both boards, and the lead was with Our Lady’s at the half-time break - 13-7.
Their defence in the second half was superb as Louis only managed one basket all the way through. Nicole Tully was in sparkling form in this half and finished as her team’s top scorer on eight points.
With a 30-9 win in the bag, this team have dropped just one match in the league campaign and lie in second spot going into the upcoming top-fours.
The last game of the week was on Friday and it was the turn of the 1st Year ‘B’ team to travel as they headed to Cabra to take on St Dominic’s.
A win for this side, would also leave them sitting at the top of their section in the Division 2 league and there was a few nervous minutes at the start as both teams missed lay-ups and rebounds.
However, Jessica Carr settled the ship and with Sadhbh Clinton also adding a score they led 4-0 at the first break and 7-4 at half-time.
Persistent fouling by St Dominic’s put the Drogheda girls on the line and that allowed Aine Marron to get herself on the score board.
Sarah McGrath was not to be left out either and she hit some nice shots from the floor as her side finished as 14-6 winners.
Not only does this result leave them on top of the league, it means they will not meet the Greenhills 1st Year A team in the semi-finals, with the prospects of an all-Our Lady’s decider still on course. 2ND YEAR ‘B’: 1ST YEAR ‘A’: 2ND YEAR PREMIER: 1ST YEAR ‘B’: