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U16 Girls
U16 Girls Advance
U 16 Girls Donagh 27pts Queens 25pts
Midway through the last quarter when Casey Treanor dived on and won a ball she had no right to win, that was the time the Donagh team knew they would pull this semi final out of the fire, she then went on to score a three pointer and totally inspired her teammates to go on and win a place in the BNI finals.
When the Queens girls stepped out on the court they looked more determined than ever to beat Donagh and they started like a steam train but Aisling McPhillips, Harriet O Connor, Sarah McAlister, Emile McKenna and Andrea Rafferty were just as determined to stop them. They scored first with a free shot and were thwarted by good defence on a three other occasions but Donagh broke out and Andrea scored on the break. Aisling put Donagh ahead but McFarland scored for Queens with a shot. Queens moved the ball around well and were playing better than the home side and it was no surprise when they forged ahead 8pts to 4pts. Donagh tried to get something back but free shots from Sarah and Emile was all they managed, Maire McCarron came on for Sarah but the rest of the play in this quarter produced no scores. The score was 8pts – 6pts.
The second quarter five of Katie Curley, Emile O Donaghue, Ellen O Brien, Casey Treanor and Rebecca Hughes knew they could handle the Queens five and were quickly level with a basket from Ellen. This was followed by a free shot from Casey after she was fouled on a drive. The Queens girls gave nothing away too easily and any basket was going to be hard won, after failing to make any inroads through their zone Emile scored from the wing to put Donagh 3pts up. They responded with a basket but this was the only score they got. Ciara McCarron came on for Katie and Donagh went on to score 2 more baskets, one each from Ellen and Casey. Donagh led by 15pts to 10pts.
The third quarter was a role reversal; Queens came out with their best five and attacked the home side like they did in the first quarter. There was a lot of fouling some of it spotted some of it missed but the first 3 scores were all free shots to Queens, they had more but missed them. Donagh weren’t able to capitalize on the lead they had built up at half time and despite different combinations of girls fell behind to 2 McGregor shots. Harriet was the only scorer for Donagh in this quarter which was very poor from the Monaghan side’s point of view. The score was 17pts each.
The last quarter started poorly for Donagh with McGregor scoring and adding a free shot, Donagh responded but could not put the ball in the basket. The coaches were getting more vociferous, and the refs were under a lot of pressure but it was Queens who seemed to be getting all the breaks. Two more sets of free shots for McGregor yielded another 2pts, Sarah responded with one from two at the other end. The score was 22pts to 18pts and they had free shots again, Donagh took a time out made a few changes and asked the girls to stand up now or else we were a beaten team. From the rebound on McGregor’s second shot (she scored the first) Cased dived on the ball and made it Donagh’s, she went down the court and stuck in a 3 pointer and the roof nearly lifted off the gym. Donagh pressed, won the ball and Casey scored the score was 23pts each. Donagh pressed again stole the ball again and Casey was fouled, the Queens coach erupted and got a T-foul for his trouble, 4 free shots and possession. Casey scored one of hers to put Donagh ahead by one, Harriet took the T-foul shots and scored one, now Donagh were ahead by 2pts. Queens weren’t finished, they won back the ball and went up the court and scored. With a 1.48 on the clock Ellen was fouled, there was a time out called to compose everyone’s thoughts and then Ellen duly stepped up and scored both shots cool as you like. Donagh pressed again but Queens held on and advanced up the court but when the ref called traveling McFarland reacted and Donagh got 2 free shots and possession again. Unfortunately Harriet did not make the game safe and there was 18 seconds of sweating left but Donagh held on to win. The final score was Donagh 27pts Queens 25pts. The final will be in the Antrim Forum on Sunday 25th Mar.
Team and Scorers: Casey Treanor 9pts, Ellen O Brien 6pts, Harriet O Connor 3pts, Andrea Rafferty 2pts, Sarah McAlister 2pts, Aisling McPhillips 2pts, Emile O Donaghue 2pts, Emile McKenna 1pt, Ciara McCarron, Maire McCarron, Rebecca Hughes and Katie Curley.
U 16 Girls Donagh 27pts Queens 25pts
Midway through the last quarter when Casey Treanor dived on and won a ball she had no right to win, that was the time the Donagh team knew they would pull this semi final out of the fire, she then went on to score a three pointer and totally inspired her teammates to go on and win a place in the BNI finals.
When the Queens girls stepped out on the court they looked more determined than ever to beat Donagh and they started like a steam train but Aisling McPhillips, Harriet O Connor, Sarah McAlister, Emile McKenna and Andrea Rafferty were just as determined to stop them. They scored first with a free shot and were thwarted by good defence on a three other occasions but Donagh broke out and Andrea scored on the break. Aisling put Donagh ahead but McFarland scored for Queens with a shot. Queens moved the ball around well and were playing better than the home side and it was no surprise when they forged ahead 8pts to 4pts. Donagh tried to get something back but free shots from Sarah and Emile was all they managed, Maire McCarron came on for Sarah but the rest of the play in this quarter produced no scores. The score was 8pts – 6pts.
The second quarter five of Katie Curley, Emile O Donaghue, Ellen O Brien, Casey Treanor and Rebecca Hughes knew they could handle the Queens five and were quickly level with a basket from Ellen. This was followed by a free shot from Casey after she was fouled on a drive. The Queens girls gave nothing away too easily and any basket was going to be hard won, after failing to make any inroads through their zone Emile scored from the wing to put Donagh 3pts up. They responded with a basket but this was the only score they got. Ciara McCarron came on for Katie and Donagh went on to score 2 more baskets, one each from Ellen and Casey. Donagh led by 15pts to 10pts.
The third quarter was a role reversal; Queens came out with their best five and attacked the home side like they did in the first quarter. There was a lot of fouling some of it spotted some of it missed but the first 3 scores were all free shots to Queens, they had more but missed them. Donagh weren’t able to capitalize on the lead they had built up at half time and despite different combinations of girls fell behind to 2 McGregor shots. Harriet was the only scorer for Donagh in this quarter which was very poor from the Monaghan side’s point of view. The score was 17pts each.
The last quarter started poorly for Donagh with McGregor scoring and adding a free shot, Donagh responded but could not put the ball in the basket. The coaches were getting more vociferous, and the refs were under a lot of pressure but it was Queens who seemed to be getting all the breaks. Two more sets of free shots for McGregor yielded another 2pts, Sarah responded with one from two at the other end. The score was 22pts to 18pts and they had free shots again, Donagh took a time out made a few changes and asked the girls to stand up now or else we were a beaten team. From the rebound on McGregor’s second shot (she scored the first) Cased dived on the ball and made it Donagh’s, she went down the court and stuck in a 3 pointer and the roof nearly lifted off the gym. Donagh pressed, won the ball and Casey scored the score was 23pts each. Donagh pressed again stole the ball again and Casey was fouled, the Queens coach erupted and got a T-foul for his trouble, 4 free shots and possession. Casey scored one of hers to put Donagh ahead by one, Harriet took the T-foul shots and scored one, now Donagh were ahead by 2pts. Queens weren’t finished, they won back the ball and went up the court and scored. With a 1.48 on the clock Ellen was fouled, there was a time out called to compose everyone’s thoughts and then Ellen duly stepped up and scored both shots cool as you like. Donagh pressed again but Queens held on and advanced up the court but when the ref called traveling McFarland reacted and Donagh got 2 free shots and possession again. Unfortunately Harriet did not make the game safe and there was 18 seconds of sweating left but Donagh held on to win. The final score was Donagh 27pts Queens 25pts. The final will be in the Antrim Forum on Sunday 25th Mar.
Team and Scorers: Casey Treanor 9pts, Ellen O Brien 6pts, Harriet O Connor 3pts, Andrea Rafferty 2pts, Sarah McAlister 2pts, Aisling McPhillips 2pts, Emile O Donaghue 2pts, Emile McKenna 1pt, Ciara McCarron, Maire McCarron, Rebecca Hughes and Katie Curley.