Women’s
Division One League Cup Final
Maree: 73 Ulster
University Elks: 65
Maree finished
off an incredible 2018/19 season unbeaten this afternoon, as they picked up
their fifth title of the season when they overcame Ulster University Elks 73-65
to be crowned Women’s D1 League Cup champions.
The talented
Galway side, who had already earned promotion to the Women’s Super League for
next season, rounded off an incredible 24-game unbeaten streak this afternoon,
and were lead by a superb 31-point game from MVP Claire Rockall in a dazzling
performance from the Irish international. Indeed, Rockall had a super
supporting cast in Dayna Finn, Maggie Byrne, Carol McCarthy and Catherine
Connaire, and they held off a strong Elks side to see home a memorable win.
Elks were not
without their stars though, with underage international Enya Maguire putting in
a sublime shooting performance to top score for her side with 24 points, while
a big second half from American Kollyns Scarbrough kept he game in the melting
pot throughout.
Maree did the
most damage in the opening quarter though, as they ran out into 27-13 point
first quarter lead with super scores from Connaire and Rockall seeing them
dominate at both ends of the floor.
A much closer
second quarter followed with Enya Maguire finding superb form and big work on
defense helping them to force Maree turnovers. However, Elks’ free throw
shooting woes began in earnest in this quarter, as they went into the half time
break having missed six from 15 attempts in the half, and trailed Maree 36-29.
Again, it was
another intense and fast-paced third quarter that followed, with Maguire
shooting strong for Elks while Scarbrough added some great baskets to close the
gap further. With Dayna Finn in foul trouble at the other end, Elks began to
get some better looks and began to punish Maree in side, but again it was
Rockall to the fore for Maree and some big scores from her, along with a great
basket from Carol McCarthy, saw them into a 55-47 point lead going into the
last.
Elks were not
going down without a fight though, and a huge fourth quarter followed. With
Finn and Rockall now both in foul trouble, Scarbrough begin to exert her dominance
under the boards, and huge scores from Maguire and Aoife Callaghan along with
super defense from Alex Mulligan and Seana Harley Moyes saw the gap closed
right back down to a one-possession game. McCarthy settled Maree at the other
end though, adding a huge nine points in this quarter to help keep her team’s
noses in front, and with Elks throwing everything in the tank at them, Maree
held on in the face of the offensive onslaught to be crowned Women’s Division
One League champions in style.
MAREE: Carol
McCarthy (11), Dayna Finn (12), Claire Rockall (31), Orlaith Walsh, Maggie
Byrne (6), Catherine Connaire (13), Nicola O’Connell, Alison Blaney, Laoise
Walsh, Sacra Mannion, Fiona Scally
ULSTER
UNIVERSITY ELKS: Enya Maguire (24), Erin Maguire (3), Seana Harley-Moyes,
Kollyns Scarbrough (22), Jenna Kaufman (7), Nichola Rafferty (1), Aoife
Callaghan (6), Ruth Neill, Erin Bracken, Eimhear Morris, Alex Mulligan (2),
Abigail Rafferty.
MVP: Claire
Rockall (Maree)
