National Cup

Jan 21 2022

InsureMyHouse.ie National Cup - Women's Division 1 Cup final preview

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.”

Route to the final:

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

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