Basketball Ireland Womens Development League
Plate Final
Glanmire 61
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 48
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors BIDL Womens bid for National League silverware fell short on Friday night when they went down 61-48 to Glanmire in the Plate Final at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght. In the inaugural year of the competition, it proved to be highly competitive throughout, and for both the Warriors and St. Mary’s Castleisland to have made it to the contest their respective finals at this level was a great achievement for the two Kerry clubs.
It was Warriors that got onto the scoreboard first through Sorcha Casey and Aisling Counihan giving the Tralee side an early lead. However Glanmire responded with interest finding scores from Jessica Quirke, Mia Finnegan, Abby Furlong and Lauren Crean Hickey to go 11-4 up at the midway point. Warriors point guard and captain struck for a quick hat trick to restore the balance but a major effort from Ella O’Sullivan put the Cork side 14-10 up at quarter time.
The Warriors hit back with Priya O’Donovan’s first three of the contest and when O’Brien weaved her way to the basket the Tralee side briefly led 15-14. Roisin Quirke and Mia Finnegan combined to wrestle the lead back for Glanmire but O’Donovan and O’Brien both landed scores from beyond the arc to cut the gap to 27-25. However a costly final two minutes of the quarter for the Warriors allowed Glanmire convert late on through Roisin Quirke, Katie Mae O’Neill and Chloe O’Driscoll to secure a decisive 33-25 at half time.
Glanmire built on their half-time advantage early in the third through Roisin Quirke and Hickey but a double from Anna O’Sullivan kept the Warriors in touch. However Glanmire quickly spread the game when Hickey was flawless with four for four from the line and a basket from Ella O’Sullivan followed by two in a row from Ruth Patterson gave the Cork outfit a very significant 47-32 lead going into the final quarter.
A big corner three from Sorcha Casey gave the Warriors the perfect start to the fourth and when Emily Flynn followed her lead the gap was pared back to 51-40. Jessica and Roisin Quirke restored order for Glanmire but three quick baskets from Niamh Collins, Casey and O’Brien left 9 between the sides again as the clock ticked down. The Warriors’ desperate efforts for stops and steals handed Jessica Quirke two trips to the line and she took full advantage before a Lauren Crean Hickey basket ultimately sealed the 61-48 win for Glanmire with the final score of the game.
Scorers:
Glanmire – Roisin Quirke 11, Jessica Quirke 11, Lauren Crean Hickey, 10, Mia Finnegan 10
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors – Holly O’Brien 17, Priya O’Donovan 11, Sorcha Casey 7
Thabks to Liam Ryan for the images.