Heywood CS 48 Mercy Mounthawk Tralee 31
All-Ireland U-19 ‘B’ Basketball School’s League Final
Heywood Community School have been crowned All-Ireland U-19 Girls Basketball League champions for the second year in a row.
After winning the ‘C’ title last year, the girls have stepped up a level this year and now triumphed in the ‘B’ final.
They were up against Mercy Mounthawk of Tralee who were also in the U-19 ‘A’ Boys and Girls finals today in the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght.
Heywood produced a stunning team performance and were led excellently by their captain Faye McEvoy who received MVP at the end of the game.
She top scored with 12 points and 10 of those came in the 2nd quarter which is where the Laois school took control.
Once they went into a lead, their defence was solid and the excellent Louise Doyle dominated around the basket with countless blocks and interceptions.
The opening quarter was tight but Heywood made a very good start as Caoimhe Brophy scored twice.
Kaylee O’Keeffe, who starred for the Laois camogie team at the weekend, showed she is just as good with a basketball also found the target.
Clodagh Gee chipped in with a combination of a basket and a free throw before Lisa Slattery got the Kerry side of the mark.
And they ended the quarter with three-pointers from Roisin Rahilly and Kate Collins to leave it 12-8.
But McEvoy grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck before half time and contributed a tonne in the second quarter.
Louise Doyle added a brace while O’Keeffe converted a free throw to push Heywood well clear.
Mounthawk replied via Rahilly and Slattery but they now trailed 25-13 at half time.
Heywood refused to take their foot off the gas in the third quarter and grew their lead to 15 points.
McEvoy, O’Keeffe, Doyle and Brophy were joined on the scoreboard by the impressive Emma Carney.
Roisin Quinn, Rahilly and Slattery tried to keep Tralee in touch but it ended 36-21 to Heywood.
Mercy Mounthawk threw everything at Heywood in the final quarter and did get the deficit back to nine points at one stage.
But Heywood never panicked and Louise Doyle was excellent offensively here as she slotted six points.
Brophy, McEvoy and O’Keeffe then put the seal on it as Heywood were crowned All-Ireland champions with 17 points to spare.
SCORERS – Heywood: Faye McEvoy 12, Louise Doyle 10, Caoimhe Brophy 9, Kaylee O’Keeffe 8, Emma Carney 6, Clodagh Gee 3 Mercy Mounthawk Tralee: Roisin Rahilly 12, Lisa Slattery, Rachel Reidy and Kara Gannon 4 each, Kate Collins 3, Aoife Costello and Roisin Quinn 2 each
HEYWOOD CS: Caoimhe Brophy, Ella Kelly, Siofra Fitzpatrick, Carragh Concannon, Louise Doyle, Mary Lanigan, Faye McEvoy, Kaylee O’Keeffe, Charlotte Barry, Hazel Palin, Clodagh Gee, Katie Ryan, Sasha O’Keeffe, Leah Bergin, Emma Carney, Rebecca Whelan
MERCY MOUNTHAWK TRALEE: Roisin Rahilly, Lisa Slattery, Rachel Reidy, Kara Gannon, Kate Collins, Aoife Costello, Roisin Quinn, Rebecca O’Mahony
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