Limerick Celtics 79
St Paul’s 84
Enda Walshe reports
A storming fourth quarter finish by St Paul’s ladies secured the points in this tightly contested National Ladies’ Basketball League clash played at the Crescent College in Dooradoyle. Trailing by seven at the three-quarter stage, 67-60, it was going to take something special to grab the win but James Fleming’s side held the Celtics to just two points in the final six minutes while helping themselves to 15 in the same period and eventually running out 84-79 winners.
It’s a win that sees them climb into the top four in the table and with league leaders Portlaoise Panthers next up in the Killarney Sports and Leisure Centre on Saturday, December 17, they can really put themselves into the title conversation for the new year.
Starting with Yuleska Tejeda, Sofia Paska, Lorraine Scanlon, Rheanne O’Shea and Lynn Jones they settled quicker into the game with O’Shea, Paska and Scanlon opening up a 7-0 lead. The Celtics came roaring back into it, however, with 10 unanswered points of their own through Alexandra Navarette, Sabhbh Murphy and Shonte Hailes.
Lucy Devoy was also prominent at this stage and despite a three-pointer from Rheanne O’Shea, the hosts pushed it out to 20-13. Fouls were starting to creep into the game and both sides exchanged points from the free throw line before Murphy with a three for the Celtics and Paska with two good baskets left the score at 24-21 at the end of the first.
Early points from O’Shea and Tejeda put St Paul’s ahead 25-24 and this quarter was particularly tight with the lead exchanging hands on numerous occasions and never more than two points between them.
Isabella Leahy, Aoife Morrissey and Amy Buckley kept the show on the road for the Celtics while Tejeda was particularly productive and there was nothing between the sides at half time, 43 a piece.
Paul’s started the second half brightly with Paska and Tejeda working the scoreboard but Lucy Devoy and Amy Buckley kept the Celtic in touch, 51-48 with six minutes to go in the third. Rheanne O’Shea nailed another three and that prompted a Celtics timeout.
Whatever was said worked a treat for the Limerick side as they charged into a 66-60 lead with Buckley, Devoy and Leahy finding gaps in the Pauls rearguard.
In a bid to stem the flow, Jessica Quirke, Siofra O’Shea, Lynn Jones and Cassandra Buckley were all rotated and the reliable duo of Tejeda and Paska made sure that fourth quarter would be competitive.
Celtics looked like a team that were making a run for home and Devoy, Buckley and Navarette helped them to a 10-point lead, 74-64 within three minutes of the restart. A big three from St Paul’s Siofra O’Shea seemed to put the wind behind them as Paska, Scanlon and Jones came with a wet sail to pull them right back into contention with 2.16 remaining.
At 79-76 it was anyone’s game but the momentum was all with Paul’s as Paska and Scanlon scored eight points between them and in the process helped them to an impressive 84-79 win.
Yuleska Tejeda and Sofia Paska kept up their season averages with 25 and 24 points respectively, Rheanne O’Shea had her season high of 17 points while Lorraine Scanlon chipped in with a crucial 13 points.
Siofra O’Shea hit an all-important three while Lynn Jones backed up her usual industrious 29 minutes with two points. Cassandra Buckley, Aisling O’Mahony and Jessica Quirke all contributed to help maintain the intensity in this fine performance.
For the Celtics Alexandra Navarette hit 20, Lucy Devoy and Amy Buckley had 32 between them while Sadhbh Murphy netted 12.
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