Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell defeated defending InsureMyHouse.ie Paudie O’Connor Cup champions Pyrobel Killester 92-78, to reach their first Cup final since 2019. It will be a Cork derby in the decider, with Catalyst Fr. Mathews reaching their first ever Paudie O’Connor Cup final following a 71-67 win over FloMAX Liffey Celtics.
In the first semi-final at Neptune Stadium, Catalyst Fr. Mathews saw Ariel Johnson top score with 24 points, while there were also big performances from Shannon Brady and the Dwyer sisters, Niamh and Gráinne.
There was little to separate Catalyst Fr. Mathews and FloMAX Liffey Celtics in the opening quarter. Alexandra Naverette, who had a team high of 23 points, hit two threes during it, one of which came in the dying seconds to hand FloMAX Liffey Celtics a 20-16 lead.
But scoring dried up for Karl Kilbride’s side in the opening stages of the second quarter and when Johnson landed her two pointer to bring her personal tally to 10 with 2’41 to go, Catalyst Fr. Mathews were ahead 37-25 and would have a 37-29 advantage at half-time.
Pat Price’s team started brightest in the third quarter and built a 16 point lead two and a half minutes in, following Johnson’s steal and basket to lead 45-29. A pair of Sorcha Tiernan threes helped narrow the gap, as FloMAX Liffey Celtics trailed 52-44 at the end of the third.
The deficit was reduced to two points four minutes into the fourth quarter, thanks to baskets from Áine O’Connor, Naverette and Tianna Ayulo.
It continued to be close, as another Johnson basket and a free throw from Brady saw Fr. Mathews ahead 70-67 with 19.3 seconds to go. As the game restarted, Niamh Dwyer rallied the Fr. Mathews support nearby to the desired effect. A Tiernan three point attempt failed to land, Johnson pounced on possession and was fouled in the process, converting one of her two free throw attempts to wrap up a 71-67 victory.
Speaking afterwards Gráinne Dwyer said: “It feels amazing, we were here five years ago against Brunell on Friday night and they beat us and we have been building ever since. We’ve have had a lot of consistency through the first half of the season and we’ve been building and we’re back where we want to be and looking forward to the final.”
In the second semi-final of the day, American Jayla Johnson scored 31 points for the Gurranabraher Credit Union, along with five rebounds and three turnovers is a fine all-round performance in their win over Pyrobel Killester. Captain Edel Thornton - sporting a protective mask - had 18 points, three rebounds and five assists, while fellow Irish international Lauryn Homan and Kyaja Williams had 14 and 17 points respectively.
It was Killester who started brightest and led by 12 two minutes into the second quarter after Leilani Turner’s three point jump shot put them 31-19 up. Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell responded with a 10 point run in the next two minutes, Johnson’s 2-pointer bringing it to 31-29.
It was 54 apiece at the midpoint of the third quarter, before Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell hit a hot streak, as threes from Homan and Danielle O’Leary had them 66-58 up with 2’34 left. A Homan layup in the closing seconds put Gurranabraher 74-60 ahead at the close of the third.
Killester’s hopes were dented when they lost both Ieva Bagdanaviciene and Keowa Walters in the fourth after both picked up their fifth fouls. Killester still had the potent Jiselle Thomas, and her basket made it a nine point game, 80-71 with four minutes to go. The American was dominant in the paint and would finish with 38 points.
It was to be Gurranabraher Credit Union’s day, as a pair of free throws at the death from Williams wrapped up a 92-78 win. Captain Edel Thornton said: “This was the goal at the start of the year for us and your league record doesn’t count in the Cup, so we knew we had to give our best performance today. I have never played in a Super League Cup final for Brunell, so I am really looking forward to it.”
Speaking about the facing Catalyst Fr. Mathews in the final, Thornton added: “Look, it’s lovely. It’s nice to have two Cork teams there, especially it just shows how talented we are here in Cork. I suppose last night’s game (Energywise Ireland v UCC Demons) showed how big basketball is here in Cork, to have two women’s teams in the final is big.”
The InsureMyHouse.ie Paudie O’Connor National Cup final between Gurranabraher Credit Union and Catalyst Fr. Mathews will take place at the National Basketball Arena on Sunday 21st January and will be broadcast live on TG4, with every game from the National Cup finals weekend shown live on basketballireland.tv.
