iSecure Swords Thunder earn Women's Division One National Cup shot with 74-61 win over Dublin rivals

iSecure Swords Thunder will play McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles in the Women’s Division One National Cup Final after an inspired double-double from Makayla Miller lead them to a 74-61 win over Oblate Dymanos at Gurranabraher Credit Union Arena on Saturday evening.

Makayla Miller, Jasmine Walker and Megan Howe all reached double digits for Paul Carr’s outfit as they banished the demons of a first round exit to the same opposition a year ago. Ireland underage international Sophie Staunton tried to put her team on her shoulders, but her 17-point haul wasn’t enough to get them over the line.

Both sets of starters began attacking the basket aggressively and effectively, leaving a fast paced game at 11-11 just after the midway point in the first quarter.  The remaining 4:16 before the break was the Makayla Miller show. The former La Salle University guard scored 13 of her side’s remaining 15 points, creating her own shot off the dribble and making tough finishes at the rim against a stubborn Oblate Dynamos interior defence. Conversely, Thunder were doing an excellent job of taking away Oblate’s main threat in Staunton, forcing others to try and step up. Samathna Massey was one to try and fill that void. She took on the scoring burden and managed to get to the free-throw stripe three times, but could only manage to shoot 33% to send iSecure Swords Thunder back to the huddle with a 26-15 lead at the close of one.

The second and third quarters played out much more evenly. Oblates found more parity on the boards and head coach Terry Staunton appeared to find a solution to the Miller problem - she was held scoreless despite seeing the floor for the full ten minutes of the second - but the Inchicore side couldn’t capitalise. Turnovers were proving to be a momentum killer to the efforts of Staunton, Adia Brisker and Mia McEntee, who hit her team’s only shot from beyond the arc in the quarter.as they entered the locker room trailing 42-31.

If iSecure Swords Thunder head coach Paul Carr’s message to his troops was about keeping calm, they carried out his instructions to a tee in the second half. Every time Oblates looked to build some rhythm of their own, Thunder made a shot or a big defensive play to stop them. Staunton’s influence continued to grow as she made two important shots from the corner following some good work by Heather Meagher on the offensive glass, but there just wasn’t enough of a consistent scoring threat within the Oblate Dynamos ranks to aid her.

The final period played out without too much tension. Miller picked up three more boards to cement her double-double performance, but when Oblates really needed to find their range from distance to force a nervy end for iSecure Swords Thunder, they could only manage to shoot 14% from their seven attempts. The buzzer sounded with a 74-61 scoreline in favour of iSecure Swords Thunder, who will go on to face Women’s Division One table toppers McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles after they dispatched holders Limerick Celtics at MTU Arena.  

Quarter Scores: Q1: 26-15, Q2: 16-16 , Q3:15-15 , Q4: 17-15

iSecure Swords Thunder:

Megan Connolly, Zara Troy, Ellie Doyle, Sixta Herzberger, Kate Kelly, Aoife O’Connell, Makayla Miller, Jasmine Walker, Megan Howe, Laura Fortune, Peggy Black, Tia Kelly Stevens.

Head Coach: Paul Carr

Top Scorers: Makayla Miller (25), Jasmine Walker (14), Megan Howe (11)

Oblate Dynamos:

Jennifer Sheehan, Ellie Thornton, Lauren Malone, Ciara White, Samantha Massey, Sophie Staunton, Mia McEntee, Hannah Byrne, Briana Baker-Bruce, Heather Meagher, Adia Sanaa Brisker, Shannon Whelan, Alanna Fennell.

Head Coach: Terry Staunton

Top Scorers: Sophie Staunton (17), Heather Meagher (10), Adia Sanaa Brisker (10)