BASKETBALL ALL-IRELAND SCHOOLS' LEAGUE FINAL:SCALASANCTIUS COLLEGE, Oranmore completed a double success at at the National Basketball Arena yesterday afternoon by following up their Under-16A success earlier in the day with a thrilling 46-45 win over Presentation College, Thurles in the All-Ireland Schools' Under-19A Girls' final.
Most Valuable Player Catríona Foley played a huge part in the win, claiming 15 points in yet another major success for the Galway giants.
Oranmore’s Ailish O’Reilly showed great determination in the closing stages, stealing the ball in the back court and drawing the foul to go to the line for crucial free throws.
However, there was disappointment for Coláiste Íosagáin as Calasanctius Oranmore’s under-16 team put paid to their hopes of a league and cup double. Nothing went right for the holders on the day, with the injury to Caragh Rutleis early on weakening their influence on the inside.
Rutleis retired with a sprained ankle with just under four minutes to go in the first quarter and for all the endeavour, the Booterstown girls struggled to make their scores as Oranmore out bustled them under the baskets.
Oranmore had in Ciara Newell a player of exceptional talent, her ability to change direction with some nimble footwork causing countless problems for Íosagáin.
Missed second chances proved to be the thorn in Coláiste Treasa, Kanturk’s (CTK) side as they suffered a defeat to St Joseph’s Boys School, Derry in the Under-19 C Boys’ final.
With five minutes remaining in the third quarter, Kanturk turned up the pressure and back-to-back three pointers from Rory O’Connor boosted his side to within merely nine points.
Yet as the seconds ticked away, St Joseph’s answered back with an open lay-up from MVP Danny Quigley, whose unrelenting scoring earned his side a 14-point lead.
Throughout most of the fourth quarter both teams traded baskets without changing the ten-point gap but Kanturk’s McCarthy quickly changed that when he went up and was fouled going up for a dunk. However, it proved to be the Derry school’s day.
St Aidan’s CBS captain, Paul Caffrey, turned in a phenomenal display as St Aidan’s were crowned the Under-16B league champions.
With 27 assists, five rebounds and 27 points, Caffrey was the stand out choice for MVP but he had plenty of back up support on the day.
ALL-IRELAND SCHOOLS’ LEAGUE FINALS
Under-19C Boys: Coláiste Treasa, Kanturk 61 (22) (S McCarthy 29, J Corcoran 11, R O’Connor 15) St Joseph’s Boys’ School, Derry 65 (37) (D Quigley 30, H Barbour 12, L Harris 12)
Under-16B Boys: St Aidan’s CBS Whitehall 98 (47) (P Caffrey 27, M Murray 21); Abbey Vocational School Donegal 71 (31) (D Muldoon 23, D Boyle 23) MVP: P Caffrey (St Aidan’s CBS Whitehall) .
Under-19A Girls: Presentation Secondary School Thurles 45 (21) (L Brennan 14, E Carey 9) Calasanctius College Oranmore 46 (25) (C Foley 15, C Newell 14)
Under-16A Girls: Calasanctius Oranmore 52 (27) (A O’Reilly 12, C Newell 25); Coláiste Íosagáin 36 (16) (C Mairtín 10, C de Bhearnabhail 10).
