FloMAX Liffey Celtics remained on course for a third consecutive NICC Women’s National Cup title after they recovered from a shaky start to beat Ballincollig 61-50 in Saturday afternoon’s semi-final at MTU Arena.
Finding themselves 12 points down late in the first quarter, Celtics shackled their opponents in the second and third, during which they afforded them just 17 points as they raced 14 clear heading into the fourth and final period.
And while the Cork side outscored the holders by three in fourth, it was not nearly enough to deny them further passage to the title game where they will now face Ongar Chasers.
The Kildare side were, indeed, slow out of the blocks, shipping the opening eight points in this encounter as both Ava Lordan and Sinead Crowley found some joy from outside the arc.
Karen Mealey did finally open Celtics’ account when she put up a much-needed deuce with almost three minutes gone, but Ballincollig responded with a further five points through Crowley.
Celtics did manage to gain a foothold in this tie over the closing four minutes of the first quarter, going on a nine-point run as Claudia Sanchez got in for a bucket and then hit one from the free-throw line before Niamh Masterson struck twice off the three-point line to reduce the gap to 18-13 heading into the second quarter.
Masterson continued to punish from downtown when she returned to the court, helping Celtics overtake for the first time in the game just over a minute into the second period.
Karen Mealey also began to make her presence felt in attack for the Kildare outfit, draining a big three before taking a further four from the line, while Sanchez and Caoimhe Masterson also got in for buckets as Liffey headed in at the break with a 31-24 lead.
Having been held to six points in the second quarter, Ballincollig needed to find a way to unlock the revamped Celtics defence, but they did not gain much more traction in third, during which Liffey extended their lead to 14 points (49-35).
Holly Kierans did drain shots from both sides of the arc for the challengers, but Celtics always had the answer with Shauna Curran landing a triple three, while Rachel O’Carroll, Mealey and Aoife Tiernan also helped keep the scoreboard ticking for the holders.
Sinead Crowley, Jean O’Sullivan and Yvonne Burgoyne each carded four points in the closing period for Ballincollig, but Celtics did enough to remain out of reach, thanks in no small part to a further six points from Niamh Masterson that saw her finish level with Crowley on a game-high 18.
Quarter Scores: Q1: 18-13, Q2: 24-31, Q3: 35-49, Q4: 50-61
Ballincollig:
Sarah Vaughan, Jodie Sullivan, Sinead Crowley, Caoimhe Donovan, Jean O’Sullivan, Yvonne Burgoyne, Holly Kierans, Ava Lordan, Clodagh O’Driscoll, Becky O’Connell, Ellen Vaughan, Amy Lee.
Top Scorers: Sinead Crowley (18), Yvonne Burgoyne (8), Jean O’Sullivan (6).
FloMAX Liffey Celtics:
Ada Bowler, Alanah Mullins, Shauna Homan, Caoimhe Masterson, Claudia Sanchez, Aoife Tiernan, Niamh Masterson, Sarah Bradley, Karen Mealey, Ailbhe Harrington, Shauna Curran, Rachel O’Carroll.
Top Scorers: Niamh Masterson (18), Karen Mealey (11), Shauna Curran (9), Claudia Sanchez (7).