GLANMIRE’S TEAM MONTENOTTE Hotel put on a clinic in Tallaght this evening, claiming their third straight national title with a dominant 96 – 64 win over Pyrobel Killester.
The makes the Cork side Ireland’s most successful women’s basketball club.
The worrying signs were there from very early on for the Dubliners in the National Basketball Arena, an excellent Rae Contreras three-pointer was immediately cancelled out by Aine McKenna at the other end.
Montenotte Hotel were relentless in defence and thrived on Killester errors which they clinically turned in to points on with a smooth transition.
With Claire Rockall (who finished with 11 points) strong under the rim, McKenna (18)threatening outside the paint and Chantell Alford (21) getting better and better with each passing minute, Glanmire built themselves a commanding 31 – 14 lead by the end of the quarter.
At that point Pyrobel Killester coach Karl Kilbride told his side that if errors could be limited, then the Cork women couldn’t sustain their 31-points per quarter rate. He was right, but it proved to be tempting fate as Glanmire kept the foot on the pedal, sinking another 31 to make it a 62 – 34 advantage by the end of the second period.
Killester continued to battle on dutifully, despite the mountain they had to climb and an injury hampering Contreras – though not enough to dull her out-shooting every other player on the court with 35 points. However, with the cushion built up in the first half, Glanmire were comfortable in containing on defence, forcing errors and taking their time in attack.
By the fourth quarter, the result was in the bag and only the century of points evaded the Cork champs.
