26 Jan Brilliant Basketballers Beaten in Final
Loreto Stephen’s Green (Dublin) scooped Subway Schools All Ireland Under 19 B Girls Cup glory on 24th January with victory over Ulidia Integrated (Antrim), 69-54.
A superb all-round performance from the Dublin school saw Lauren Devitt, Laura Furlong and Clodagh Cullen all impress hugely as the pressure mounted, while the Maguire dynamic duo of Erin and Enya at the other end were the big difference for Ulidia, and after trailing by 12 points at one stage, worked hard to close the gap back to just one point midway through the fourth quarter.
Loreto dominated most of the first two quarters, with Devitt and Sarah Coase leading the way on the scoring to send them into an early 17-8 point lead at the end of the first.
24 January 2018; Enya Maguire of Ulidia Integrated during the Subway All-Ireland Schools U19B Girls Cup Final match between Ulidia Integrated and Loreto Stephen’s Green at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght, Dublin. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile
Super scoring from Enya Maguire (36) from Ulidia kept their scoreboard ticking over, as she linked in with her sister Erin and Grace Kennedy to try and close the margin, but Loreto were still firmly in control, 31-19 at the half.
A brilliant third quarter followed as Ulidia came out of the dressing room all guns blazing, with Erin opening the scoring, before Enya added a superb three pointer and it was game on. Scores rained in from the two Maguires, with Kennedy chipping in for Ulidia as well, and suddenly the gap was back to 32-29 and Loreto had to look for some form of response.
Respond they did and do so in style, with Laura Furlong, Coase and Clodagh Cullen leading the charge, but the dynamic Maguire duo were unstoppable, and as the buzzer sounded, Loreto had just three to spare, 45-42.
The fourth quarter continued at the same frantic pace, and by the midway point, there was just a point between the sides (51-50) as the Maguires continued to mount the pressure.
Up stepped Devitt, Furlong, Sorcha McCahill and Cullen for Loreto Stephens Green and in front of an enormous crowd of supporters from their school began to battle hard, and started to edge the Dublin side in front. As the clock ticked down, they kept their cool and managed to get through the Ulidia defence for some vital scores, and despite a late – and fantastic – score from Enya Maguire, it was just too late and Loreto won out 69-54 in the end.
ULIDIA INTEGRATED: Nicola Patterson, Teona Bailie, Caeli McLoughin, Erin Maguire (13), Enya Maguire (36), Faith Denny, Grace Kennedy (5), Ellie Gabby-Wason, Amy Johnston.
LORETO STEPHEN’S GREEN: Clodagh Cullen (15), Claire Whelan, Lauren Devitt (15), Ellie O’Kane, Martha McGlade (3), Katie-Rose Berry, Aisling Coase (2), Sorcha McCahill (4), Sarah Coase (11), Laura Furlong (16), Anna Ryan, Julie Donnelly (3).
MVP: Lauren Devitt (Loreto Stephen’s Green)
(Report from: http://www.basketballireland.ie/news-detail/10034417/)