St. Louis produce late surge to deny Dominican College in gripping All-Ireland Under 19B Girls Schools League Final

St. Louis Monaghan had enough in the tank to pull clear of Dominican College Griffith Avenue in the closing stages of their All-Ireland Under 19B Girls Schools League Final, winning out 46-42 in the National Basketball Arena on Tuesday morning.

An eight-point run deep into the fourth quarter ultimately propelled them over the line in a game that saw St. Louis’ Niamh Maguire scoop the MVP award following a haul of 16 points, with Cora McCaughey and captain, Aine Maguire combining for a further 27.

Dominican College’s Rebecca Heaney did manage to equal that game-high total of Maguire, but she and her team mates were to still finish on the unfavourable side of thrilling encounter.

Two free throws together with a bucket and bonus point by Heaney got Dominican College off to a positive start, but St. Louis hit back with the next seven points when Aine Maguire struck from the perimeter and Niamh Maguire drained both a superb three and two from the free-throw line.

An Udo Uzor basket and two free throws by Heaney nudged the Dublin side back in front, but it was St. Louis who finished out the first quarter that bit stronger as Aine Maguire, Niamh McElwain and McCaughey all executed in the paint to leave their side up 19-13.

Aine Maguire pushed that lead out to eight points a minute into the second quarter, but Dominican College were not going away and hauled themselves back on to level terms at 21 points apiece  almost midway through that period thanks to buckets from Orlaith Bruton, Heaney, Uzor and captain, Áine Clinton.

The two sides could not be separated by the break, Niamh Maguire and Bruton exchanging scores as the first half ended at 23-23.

It remained extremely tight throughout the third, Aine Maguire striking first for St. Louis before Lily Hyland and Clinton responded for Dominican.

Uzor used her physicality to good effect under the boards and served up a further two buckets before Clinton landed a three to keep the Dublin side ahead, but Aine Maguire responded from the perimeter down the other end to leave just a point between the teams heading into the final period.

The tug-of-war battle continued early on in the fourth, the lead changing hands three more times before St. Louis began to put a little daylight between themselves and their opponents when Niamh Maguire’s deuce was followed by three successive buckets from McCaughey.

That surge saw the Monaghan side move seven points clear with just over two minutes remaining, and while Bruton did pull three back for Dominican with a superb effort from outside the arc, St. Louis were able to run down the clock and secure the coveted prize.

“The game was so tight the whole way through and it could have gone either way, but I think, just towards the end, we had the fitness and the stamina, and that really stood to us” remarked Mary Quigley, St. Louis head coach.

“Dominican College were unbelievable, just so strong, but our girls were just so hungry for it, and really wanted it. So many of them are sixth years and it’s so lovely that we’re able to take this title back to Monaghan” she said.

 

Quarter Scores: Q1: 13-19, Q2: 23-23, Q3: 36-35, Q4: 42-46

 

Dominican College:

Hannah Lavin, Lily Hyland, Isabelle Lavin, Niamh Butler, Mary Kate Spellman, Orlaith Bruton, Rebecca Heaney, Kate Fitzpatrick Byrne, Caitlin O’Toole, Áine Clinton (capt), Udo Uzor.

Top Scorers: Rebecca Heaney (16), Áine Clinton (9), Udo Uzor (8).

Head Coach: Gemma Kirwan

 

St. Louis Monaghan:

Niamh McElwain, Ava Callery, Niamh Maguire, Ella Finn, Aine Maguire (capt), Roxane Lauweers, Lucia Carignamo, Sarah O’Donnell, Cora McCaughey, Lara Held, Alice Fedeli.

Top Scorers: Niamh Maguire (16), Cora McCaughey (14), Aine Maguire (13).

Head Coach: Mary Quigley

 

MVP:  Niamh Maguire (St. Louis Monaghan)