All You Need To Know: Azerbaijan v Ireland

The Ireland WNT play their second FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2029 Pre-Qualifier on Saturday morning against Azerbaijan at 10:00 in Baku, with live coverage on TG4, as well as the TG4 Player and App, and the FIBA YouTube Channel.  

COMPETITION FORMAT 

Ireland, who are currently ranked 79th in the world, have been drawn into Group A of the FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2029 Pre-Qualifiers alongside Switzerland (49th), Iceland (66th) and Azerbaijan (94th).  

Ireland were beaten 81-73 by Iceland in their FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2029 Pre-Qualifiers opener at the National Basketball Arena on Wednesday, with a late Icelandic surge settling a closely contested game. Under new head coach Thomas Garlepp, Ireland had plenty of positives, with Sarah Hickey recording 25 points and 14 rebounds and Ella O’Donnell scoring 15 points on her FIBA Women's EuroBasket debut.

Ireland, with a 0-1 record, currently sit third in Group A, ahead of Azerbaijan and behind Switzerland and Iceland. One team will advance from each group to the second round, with the games being played across two windows in November 2026 and February 2027. 

WATCH 

The game will be broadcast live on TG4, as well as the TG4 Player and App, and will also be broadcast live on the FIBA YouTube Channel. 

TG4 Player

FIBA YouTube Channel

SQUAD NEWS 

Three Irish players made their senior debuts against Iceland – Aoibheann Donnelly, Katie Williamson and Lucy Coogan - while Ella O’Donnell appeared in her first FIBA Women’s EuroBasket game, having made her senior debut in a friendly against Latvia in August 2022.  

VSC Cavan Eagles' Katie O'Sullivan will be in line for her senior debut, as she replaces Caitlin Gloeckner for the away fixtures. 

OPPOSITION VIEW 

Azerbaijan were heavily defeated by Switzerland in their opening FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2029 Pre-Qualifier, losing 84-33 in Baku. Polina Shchukina was the standout player for the side, recording ten points, seven rebounds and two steals, while Angelina Ismayilova topped the scoring charts with 12 points. 

Azerbaijan also recently took to the court in the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2027 Qualifiers, where they went 0-6 in a group with Bulgaria, Montenegro and Ukraine. Alexandra Mollenhauer led her side in scoring, but it was Shchukina who topped the rebounds, assists and steals over the six games.

IRELAND WOMEN’S TEAM ROSTER 

Edel Thornton (Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell), Ella O’Donnell (Manchester Basketball, England), Emer Dunne (Career Decisions UCC Glanmire), Enya Maguire (KK Studio Zagreb, Croatia), Hazel Finn (Trinity Meteors), Katie Williamson (FloMAX Liffey Celtics), Lucy Coogan (Essex Rebels, England), Maura Fitzpatrick (Caledonia Gladiators), Michelle Clarke (Killester), Sarah Hickey (SETU Waterford Wildcats), Aoibheann Donnelly (Cleveland Rockets), Katie O’Sullivan (VSC Cavan Eagles)