Griffith College Templeogue face NUIG Mystics in the Women's Division 1 Cup final on Sunday at 1.30pm. It caps a remarkable few years for the Dublin club, who only entered a women's team into the National League in September 2019, finishing 5th in the Division 1 North Conference. With the 2020/21 season wiped out due to Covid-19, this is the club's second full season. Griffith College Templeogue head coach Mark Byrne has witnessed the recent success of the men’s team and is eager to bring home some silverware too. “We’re really excited to be involved in this year’s Cup final. We’re thrilled with the progress we’ve made as a team this year. It’s a great step forward for the women’s side of the club and is reward for the work that’s been done by coaches in the club and the committee. We know NUIG Mystics will be tough opponents. They are a skilful, athletic team, who are well coached and rightly sit top of the league. Having said that, we know that if we’re focused and execute to a high level we’ll be there or thereabouts.”
NUIG Mystics have been flying high this season and have only tasted defeat once so far in the MissQuote.ie Super League, when they were edged by Uslter University by three points, 77-74, on November 13th. Two weeks later they won 76-66 at Griffith College Templeogue and Paul O’Brien, NUIG Mystics head coach, feels it will be a close encounter on Sunday. “We are really excited to be part of Cup final weekend. It's going to be a really tough game against a strong Templeogue team. Both teams deserve to be in the final and honestly it could go either way. We are aware of the strength and depth that they have, and with the game being in the Arena, it is as close to a home venue for them as possible. We are in good shape at the moment and playing really well. Hopefully we can execute on both ends of the floor to the level that we have been this season.”
Griffith College Templeogue
Round 1
Ulster University 64-72 Griffith College Templeogue
Quarter-finals
Griffith College Templeogue 85-65 Tipperary Knights
Semi-finals
Griffith College Templeogue 63-58 Swords Thunder (Read game report here)
NUIG Mystics
Round 1
Bye
Quarter-finals
NUIG Mystics 66-53 Portlaoise Panthers
Semi-finals
NUIG Mystics 70-54 Limerick Sport Huskies (Read game report here)
InsureMyHouse.ie National Cup fixtures:
Friday 21st January
Session 1
U20 Men's National Cup Final
UCC Blue Demons v UCD Marian (1815) Watch here
Saturday 22nd January
Session 2
IWA Cup final
Killester BC v Rebel Wheelers (1100) Watch here
Presidents' National Cup Final
UCC Demons v Drogheda Wolves (1330) Watch here
Session 3
Pat Duffy Men’s National Cup Final
C&S Neptune v Garvey’s Warriors Tralee (1800) Live on TG4 YouTube from 1745, deferred full match coverage from 1945 on TG4
Sunday 23rd January
Session 4
U20 Women's National Cup Final
Portlaoise Panthers v Waterford Wildcats (1100) Watch here
Women’s Division One National Cup Final
Griffith College Templeogue v NUIG Mystics (1330) Watch here
Session 5
Paudie O'Connor National Cup Final
The Address UCC Glanmire v DCU Mercy (1720) Live on TG4