Five points ahead as the game edged to a climax, Utility Trust St Pauls paid a high price fora late surge by reigning league champions Killester who carved out a 73-68 victory on Saturday night. Enda Walshe reports
One could argue that after four games in the Women’s Superleague, Utility Trust St Pauls could easily find themselves with three wins and one defeat as opposed to three defeats and one win.
Much like the game against national cup champions Brunell last weekend, St Pauls found themselves in a position where a win was achievable but, agonisingly, it slipped through their hands again.
Leading the reigning league champions Killester by five, 68-63, with 3:43 to play they couldn’t withstand a late rally inspired by the outstanding Samantha Haiby.
It was a win forged on experience by the Dublin side and while the immediate feeling would be one of heartache, it would be imperative that James Fleming’s side should focus on the good aspects of their game.
They have gone toe-to-toe with the four best teams in the league and that will have stress tested their capabilities. Aside from the opening weekend against Liffey Celtics, they have shown more than enough to suggest that they will pick up further wins in the season ahead and a three-week hiatus will give them plenty of time to sharpen their tools.
The opening quarter saw Killester lead 23-18 at its end. This was due to the early dominance of Leva Bagdanaviciene and the probings of Samantha Haiby.
Anja Marinkovic got St Pauls going when she hit an early three while Lorraine Scanlon took delivery of a nice back-door pass from Rheanne O’Shea.
Marinkovic hit another from downtown as the home side got stuck into the task, a point emphasised by a lovely combo between Gracen Kerr and O’Shea.
Scanlon and Marinkovic tightened up the score but Irish international Michelle Clarke hit a big outside shot to give them that five-point advantage.
It was in the second quarter that St Pauls started to go through the gears. Scanlon was impressive inside and Rheanne O’Shea hit five points on the spin to draw the game level and force a Killester timeout. That chat didn’t work the trick as Ormiston and O’Shea pushed the home side clear.
It must be said that while Ormiston wasn’t featuring heavily on the scoring charts though her rebounding was integral to a dominant period. Leah McMahon hit a three and Killester had to sit down and redraw their plans. Destiny Strother and Haiby brought them level temporarily as Simeone O’Shea, Denise Dunlea and Ormiston made sure it was a six-point lead at half time, 42-36.
Gracen Kerr was fast out of the traps in the third quarter, her five points helping to open up the gap. Not for the first time, Clarke hit a big outside shot for the champions but Ormiston started clocking the points and midway through the third quarter another Marinkovic three had St Pauls 10 clear, 54-44.
Defensively, the home side was keeping Killester at bay for the most part but a trio of threes from Sarah Courtney and Clarke halved the deficit, despite further baskets from Ormiston and Scanlon.
Siofra O’Shea and Meabh Barry started the fourth quarter and Ormiston extended the advantage to seven, 64-57. But Killester were soon to make a big move as a foul called on Marinkovic yielded four points, courtesy of Ali Connolly and Samanthan Haiby.
It looked as if St Pauls had weathered that storm thanks to some great defensive play from Scanlon and further points from Rheanne O’Shea. It left them 68-63 clear heading into the final furlong but Killester showed champion qualities to pull the game out of the fire.
It was Haiby who would be their headline maker. She first stepped out to hit a three from the corner and then drove to the basket to complete a three-point play.
St Pauls did get some looks but couldn’t get the baskets needed as the visitors headed back to the capital with the points. Another one for the hurt locker for St Pauls but one to use in the future. The final score was Utility Trust St Pauls 68 Killester 73.
Megan Ormiston had 15 points and 21 rebounds, Rheanne O’Shea and Anja Marinkovic shared 26 equally, Gracen Kerr had eight while Simeone O’Shea, Denise Dunlea and Leah McMahon all had three.
Samantha Haiby had the game high 22 points, Leva Bagdanaviciene had 13 as well as Michelle Clarke while Sarah Courtney hit an important 10.
A bye in the national cup and a free weekend in the league leaves St Pauls without a game now until Saturday, November 17 when they travel to play league bottom side Galway Mystics.
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