Basketball Finals, 14 March 2013
Double Joy for St. Mary’s in NBA Tallaght Thrillers!
Today, Thursday 14 March, was a great day for St. Mary’s Secondary School, Baldoyle as both our First Year Basketball team and Second Year Basketball Team captured Dublin SSA Titles in the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght. The First Years, coached by Eimear Considine and aided by Robert Fennell, won the Division 1 SSA Title in a thrilling match while the Second Years, coached by Declan Burke won the Second Year Division 2 Title in an equally exciting match. Both teams had been buoyed on by a huge crowd of students and family members.
The First Years were up against a very determined team from St. Paul’s in Greenhills, Dublin 12. It was a very tense opening quarter with both sides testing each other’s strengths and weaknesses. However, following a good run of play, Shauna Murray opened the scoring for St. Mary’s but it did not last long and Greenhills soon had the score 2-2. The second quarter was another tense and battling affair with Lauren Barker, Captain, putting St. Mary’s 4-2 ahead. Greenhills pegged St. Mary’s back fairly quickly to leave it 4-4 at the end of the quarter.
The third quarter saw St. Mary’s pull away to lead 8-4 with two fine scores from Rachel Dipeolu. Rachel’s performance had been improving throughout the game and she put her mark on the game in this quarter. The final quarter opened with Greenhills in determined form. A quick basket saw the score become 8-6 but a free from Alanna Egan put St. Mary’s 9-6 ahead. Greenhills increased the pressure and soon the score was 9-8. It seemed to be all Greenhills and attack followed attack however St. Mary’s were very resolute in defence. Then out of defence, Marija Malina grabbed the ball and ran the full length of the court to score a great point to make it 11-8. She was then fouled and responded with a point to make it 12-8. St. Mary’s now started to look very comfortable and a great bit of skill from Aine Ryan resulted in a great basket as St. Mary’s ran out 14-8 winners. It was a great team performance overall and there was great excitement as Lauren Barker lifted the Division 1 Shield. Rachel Dipeolu won the Most Value Player Award which she richly deserved.
The coach, Eimear Considine was over the moon as were Ciara Byrne and Kate Mulligan, two Transition Year students who helped coach the girls every Wednesday with Ms. Considine. St. Mary’s team were Lauren Barker, Aine Ryan, Nikita Lenihan, Gemma Sheridan, Alanna Egan, Marija Malina, Rachel Dipeolu, Laura Uwagboe, Beri Njolai, Shauna Murray, Jennifer Grant, Nicole Hoey, Nicole Carr and Susan Bello.
With one title in the bag, there was great pressure on the Second Years to equal the feat of the First Years. The first match had been very exciting and another thrilling contest was to follow as St. Mary’s took on the reigning champions, Our Lady’s from Drogheda. It was keenly fought final with both teams well matched.
The first quarter saw St. Mary’s get off to a flyer with the very skilful Teresa Romero getting two quick baskets to help St. Mary’s lead 4-0. A foul led to Our Lady’s getting one point back but a well worked point by Lauryn Moore saw the saw become 6-1. Another excellent score from Teresa Romero was followed by a point by Our Lady’s which ended the quarter for St. Mary’s leading 8-2.
Our Lady’s Drogheda showed the qualities that made them the winners last year and soon the score was 8-6. Only some excellent defensive work, particularly by Sarah Kearns, prevented Greenhills from going in front. St. Mary’s were now on the defensive and were more than happy to see a demanding second quarter end.
The third quarter saw strong offensive performances from Sarah Kearns, Lauren Waters, Lauryn Moore and Teresa Romero. Teresa opened the quarter with a quick basket and two battling baskets from Lauren Waters and Lauryn Moore saw the score become 14-6, and a further basket from Lauryn Moore put the score at 16-6 at the end of this quarter.
The coach Mr. Burke, aided by Mr. Fennell gave the girls a final pep talk and the team came out very determined for the final quarter. Our Lady’s scored a quick basket to make the score 16-8 and started to put St. Mary’s under a sustained period of pressure but were prevented from taking their baskets thanks to some dogged Mary’s defending. Despite constant pressure, St. Mary’s defended well and the excellent Teresa Romero caught the ball on the counter attack and made a superb pass to Lauren Waters who ran on to score a fantastic basket to make the score 18-8. That proved to be the turning point for Our Lady’s and despite a late free taking the score to 18-9, it would be St. Mary’s who would end up as deserved winners. It was a fine all round team performance with many outstanding individual performances.
As the final buzzer sounded, the St. Mary’s girls were engulfed on the court by their ecstatic supporters who had lifted team spirits throughout the game with their fantastic chanting and singing. Both spectators and coaches remarked after the match on the high standard of play and fitness displayed by both sides. The crowd had been kept entertained between quarters by Jessa Dyer and her gymnastic displays.
The skilful Captain, Sarah Kearns later lifted the Shield and Teresa Romero won the accolade of Most Valuable Player Award for the game for her excellent all round performance. The St Mary’s team players were: Lauren Waters, Rachael McCallion, Teresa Romero, Sarah Kearns, Patricia Moya, Kellie Smithers, Sorcha Gray, Lauren Moore, Sinead McMullen, Lauren Cullen, Karen Tracey, Rebecca McKenna, Hannah Dolan, Rachel O’Connor Farrell, Chelsea Johnson, Rebecca Murray, Nicole Gray
After the Shield and winners’ medals were presented, team coach, Declan Burke, thanked all the girls for their magnificent efforts, not just on the day but through their whole unbeaten campaign. He also remarked on the dedication displayed by the team during training throughout the year. It was also wonderful to see the second years triumph after the first years had paved the way earlier in the day with their final victory. The Shield itself will now proudly reside in the Mary’s trophy cabinet for the first time in 37 years since it was last won by the second year girls of 1976!
John Moore, Deputy Principal, was delighted. It is always a great achievement to win one final but to win two finals on one day is fantastic. All the coaches, Mr. Burke, Ms. Considine and Mr. Fennell were to be congratulated for all their hard work and dedication but the girls themselves were brilliant and truly deserved their victories.
Today, Thursday 14 March, was a great day for St. Mary’s Secondary School, Baldoyle as both our First Year Basketball team and Second Year Basketball Team captured Dublin SSA Titles in the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght. The First Years, coached by Eimear Considine and aided by Robert Fennell, won the Division 1 SSA Title in a thrilling match while the Second Years, coached by Declan Burke won the Second Year Division 2 Title in an equally exciting match. Both teams had been buoyed on by a huge crowd of students and family members.
The First Years were up against a very determined team from St. Paul’s in Greenhills, Dublin 12. It was a very tense opening quarter with both sides testing each other’s strengths and weaknesses. However, following a good run of play, Shauna Murray opened the scoring for St. Mary’s but it did not last long and Greenhills soon had the score 2-2. The second quarter was another tense and battling affair with Lauren Barker, Captain, putting St. Mary’s 4-2 ahead. Greenhills pegged St. Mary’s back fairly quickly to leave it 4-4 at the end of the quarter.
The third quarter saw St. Mary’s pull away to lead 8-4 with two fine scores from Rachel Dipeolu. Rachel’s performance had been improving throughout the game and she put her mark on the game in this quarter. The final quarter opened with Greenhills in determined form. A quick basket saw the score become 8-6 but a free from Alanna Egan put St. Mary’s 9-6 ahead. Greenhills increased the pressure and soon the score was 9-8. It seemed to be all Greenhills and attack followed attack however St. Mary’s were very resolute in defence. Then out of defence, Marija Malina grabbed the ball and ran the full length of the court to score a great point to make it 11-8. She was then fouled and responded with a point to make it 12-8. St. Mary’s now started to look very comfortable and a great bit of skill from Aine Ryan resulted in a great basket as St. Mary’s ran out 14-8 winners. It was a great team performance overall and there was great excitement as Lauren Barker lifted the Division 1 Shield. Rachel Dipeolu won the Most Value Player Award which she richly deserved.
The coach, Eimear Considine was over the moon as were Ciara Byrne and Kate Mulligan, two Transition Year students who helped coach the girls every Wednesday with Ms. Considine. St. Mary’s team were Lauren Barker, Aine Ryan, Nikita Lenihan, Gemma Sheridan, Alanna Egan, Marija Malina, Rachel Dipeolu, Laura Uwagboe, Beri Njolai, Shauna Murray, Jennifer Grant, Nicole Hoey, Nicole Carr and Susan Bello.
With one title in the bag, there was great pressure on the Second Years to equal the feat of the First Years. The first match had been very exciting and another thrilling contest was to follow as St. Mary’s took on the reigning champions, Our Lady’s from Drogheda. It was keenly fought final with both teams well matched.
The first quarter saw St. Mary’s get off to a flyer with the very skilful Teresa Romero getting two quick baskets to help St. Mary’s lead 4-0. A foul led to Our Lady’s getting one point back but a well worked point by Lauryn Moore saw the saw become 6-1. Another excellent score from Teresa Romero was followed by a point by Our Lady’s which ended the quarter for St. Mary’s leading 8-2.
Our Lady’s Drogheda showed the qualities that made them the winners last year and soon the score was 8-6. Only some excellent defensive work, particularly by Sarah Kearns, prevented Greenhills from going in front. St. Mary’s were now on the defensive and were more than happy to see a demanding second quarter end.
The third quarter saw strong offensive performances from Sarah Kearns, Lauren Waters, Lauryn Moore and Teresa Romero. Teresa opened the quarter with a quick basket and two battling baskets from Lauren Waters and Lauryn Moore saw the score become 14-6, and a further basket from Lauryn Moore put the score at 16-6 at the end of this quarter.
The coach Mr. Burke, aided by Mr. Fennell gave the girls a final pep talk and the team came out very determined for the final quarter. Our Lady’s scored a quick basket to make the score 16-8 and started to put St. Mary’s under a sustained period of pressure but were prevented from taking their baskets thanks to some dogged Mary’s defending. Despite constant pressure, St. Mary’s defended well and the excellent Teresa Romero caught the ball on the counter attack and made a superb pass to Lauren Waters who ran on to score a fantastic basket to make the score 18-8. That proved to be the turning point for Our Lady’s and despite a late free taking the score to 18-9, it would be St. Mary’s who would end up as deserved winners. It was a fine all round team performance with many outstanding individual performances.
As the final buzzer sounded, the St. Mary’s girls were engulfed on the court by their ecstatic supporters who had lifted team spirits throughout the game with their fantastic chanting and singing. Both spectators and coaches remarked after the match on the high standard of play and fitness displayed by both sides. The crowd had been kept entertained between quarters by Jessa Dyer and her gymnastic displays.
The skilful Captain, Sarah Kearns later lifted the Shield and Teresa Romero won the accolade of Most Valuable Player Award for the game for her excellent all round performance. The St Mary’s team players were: Lauren Waters, Rachael McCallion, Teresa Romero, Sarah Kearns, Patricia Moya, Kellie Smithers, Sorcha Gray, Lauren Moore, Sinead McMullen, Lauren Cullen, Karen Tracey, Rebecca McKenna, Hannah Dolan, Rachel O’Connor Farrell, Chelsea Johnson, Rebecca Murray, Nicole Gray
After the Shield and winners’ medals were presented, team coach, Declan Burke, thanked all the girls for their magnificent efforts, not just on the day but through their whole unbeaten campaign. He also remarked on the dedication displayed by the team during training throughout the year. It was also wonderful to see the second years triumph after the first years had paved the way earlier in the day with their final victory. The Shield itself will now proudly reside in the Mary’s trophy cabinet for the first time in 37 years since it was last won by the second year girls of 1976!
John Moore, Deputy Principal, was delighted. It is always a great achievement to win one final but to win two finals on one day is fantastic. All the coaches, Mr. Burke, Ms. Considine and Mr. Fennell were to be congratulated for all their hard work and dedication but the girls themselves were brilliant and truly deserved their victories.