McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles win first Women’s Division One National Cup with 86-68 win over iSecure Swords Thunder

McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles are the Women’s Division One National Cup champions, in just their third season at National League level. They defeated iSecure Swords Thunder 86-68 in the final at the National Basketball Arena on Saturday.

McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles, who are unbeaten in the Women’s Division One this season with a 9-0 record, took a 21-13 lead after the first quarter and never looked back. MVP Lanetta Williams notching up seven of her 28 points in the quarter. Williams would also have six rebounds and five assists in a fine all-round game.

A Rahema Henderson three stretched McEvoy Cavan Eagles’ lead to nine points, 26-17, with two minutes gone in the second quarter. iSecure Swords Thunder narrowed the gap to just four points, 31-27, midway through the quarter, helped by three’s from Peggy Black and Makayla Miller – Miller would finish with a team high 20 points.

 McEvoy's Cavan Eagles' Rahmena Henderson in action against iSecure Swords Thunder.

Henderson’s second three and it was 38-27 to McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles with two and a half minutes to go in the quarter. The two sides exchanged threes in the final minute, Laura McFarland’s for McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles was cancelled out by Miller and the gap was 13 points by half-time, 47-34 to McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles.

Niamh Tolan’s layup as she fell to the ground had McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles 53-41 up four minutes into the third quarter. iSecure Swords Thunder kept themselves in contention thanks to two-point jump shots from Jasmine Walker and Miller, before a Walker three had them trail 59-51 with two minutes to go in the quarter. McEvoy Cavan Eagles would hold a 64-53 advantage by the end of the third quarter.

iSecure Swords Thunder needed to make early inroads in the final quarter, Walker’s two-point jump shot in the opening minute gave them the start they wanted. A three from Niamh Tolan in the second minute of the quarter saw her raise her arm in celebration, McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles 69-55 ahead. A step back corner three from Black, her fifth three, saw Thunder trail 76-63 midway through the quarter. McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles responded in kind, Ciara Tolan unloading from the three point line straight afterwards and they successfully closed out for the win. 

Speaking afterwards Niamh Tolan said: “We’re delighted, we’ve been knocking on the door for a few seasons now, in our first season we lost to Portlaoise on a buzzer beater, and in our second season we lost to a very dominant Dublin Lions team, this year we were trying to break the “cup curse” and push on so we’re just delighted to get over the line.”

Asked about winning silverware with her siblings, Ciara and Emma, she added: “It’s very special, this is the first time the three of us have won something together. I’d say in 20 years’ time when we’re sitting down having dinner we’ll remember this very fondly. I’m so proud of them, Ciara is our role model, we looked up to her growing up and Emma has really matured and grown into the game. She has a very bright future ahead of her and I can’t wait to watch.”

“We’re delighted, we’ve been knocking on the door for a few seasons now, this year we were trying to break the “cup curse” and push on so we’re just delighted to get over the line.” 🗣️

Niamh Tolan on her side's win against iSecure Swords Thunder today 👇#BINationalCup pic.twitter.com/S3PWKpg50D

— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) January 18, 2025

Quarter Scores:

Q1: 13-21, Q2: 21-26 Q3: 19-17, Q4: 15-22

Game Scores:

Q1: 12-21, Q2: 34-47, Q3: 53-64, Q4: 68-86

iSecure Swords Thunder:

Megan Connolly (0), Zara Troy (DNP), Sixta Herzberger (DNP), Kate Kelly (0), Aoife O’Connell (0) Makayla Miller (20), Jasmine Walker (17), Megan Howe (2), Laura Fortune (8), Peggy Black (19), Tia Kelly Stevens (2), Zoe Egan (0).

McEvoy's Cavan Eagles:

Rahmena Henderson (16), Niamh Tolan (11), Emma Tolan (7) Caitlin Carroll (0), Ciara Brady (2), Ciara Tolan (12), Casey Mulvey (7), Jane Larkin (DNP), Laura McFarland (3), Lanetta Williams (28).