A most difficult challenge awaits the Irish junior women this week as they head into the semi-finals of the European Basketball Championships in Katerini, Greece. The demanding pool includes hosts Greece as well as Yugoslavia, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey.
Only one other Irish team have ever qualified for this stage of the competition (the junior men of three years ago) and head coach Ger Tarrant knows the struggle they face to progress further. Yugoslavia are currently ranked fifth in Europe, with Turkey and Bulgaria ninth and 11th respectively. Only three teams qualify from the pool but the Irish team is certainly not short of quality.
Michelle Fahy from Oranmore was one of the top ranked re-bounders and scorers over all the qualifying teams last August. And Kim Fitzpatrick was one of the key performers in the success of the Avonmore Snowcream Wildcats this season.
Ireland take on Greece this evening and Yugoslavia tomorrow.
Ireland: M Fahy (Oranmore), K Fitzpatrick (Wildcats), K Maher (Wildcats), N O'Keeffe (Bandon), A Cahalane (Skibbereen), M Guiney (Listowel), M Galwey (Castleisland), S Duggan (Castlerea), D Breen (Nenagh), N Dwyer (Thurles), A M Healy (Killenaule), N Furey (Meteors).
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