Ireland head coach James Weldon has included three uncapped players in a 16-strong squad for this weekend’s international friendly with Austria at the National Basketball Arena.
Annaliese Murphy (The Address UCC Glanmire), Lauryn Homan (Brunell BC) and Gandy Malou-Mamel (Gill St. Bernard’s) are all in line for international debuts.
Limerick teenager, Malou-Mamel (18), recently committed to play at the University of Connecticut (UConn) next season. The 6’5” forward most recently played with Gill St. Bernard's prep school in New Jersey averaging 7.5 points per game and 6.9 rebounds per game in 2022/23.
Cork woman, Murphy (23), is rewarded for a positive MissQuote.ie Super League season during which she helped The Address UCC Glanmire to a double. Murphy is no stranger to international basketball having won a silver medal at the FIBA U18 Women’s European Championship in 2017 and adding a bronze medal at the FIBA U20 Women’s European Championship two years later.
Brunell forward, Lauryn Homan (21), is promoted from the U20 team, having featured at the FIBA European Championship in 2022. Homan featured in 18 games alongside Ireland’s captain Edel Thornton for Brunell in the 2022/23 domestic season, averaging 10.5ppg in the process.
Ireland head coach James Weldon has included three uncapped players in a 16-strong squad for this weekend's friendly international against Austria at the National Basketball Arena. 🏟️
𝙂𝙀𝙏 𝙏𝙄𝘾𝙆𝙀𝙏𝙎 ➡️ https://t.co/FKsvfqtQSG#Greenmeansgo ☘️ | @missquoteie— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) August 7, 2023
Injury rules out Rachel Huisjdens and Sarah Kenny, while Claire Melia misses the fixture due to personal commitments and Ciara Bracken will be with the Irish U23 3x3 squad at the FIBA U23 3x3 Nations League in Romania.
Despite the absences, Weldon has been able to include some experienced campaigners in the squad: Edel Thornton will captain the group once more, while InsureMyHouse.ie Paudie O’Connor National Cup champion Michelle Clarke (Killester), Hannah Thornton (DCU Mercy), Sorcha Tiernan (Leixlip Amenities Liffey Celtics) and Bridget Herlihy (Ensino Lugo, Spain) are all available.
Head coach James Weldon said: “We are all really looking forward to the game, which is a big part of our preparation for the upcoming FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers. We have some injuries at the moment, but this has created an opportunity for others to come into the panel and impress and I am eager to see what they can do against a really good Austrian side. We are really looking forward to welcoming and meeting our supporters at the game in the National Basketball Arena this week.”
Ireland’s game with Austria will be broadcast live on basketballireland.tv from 17:00 on Saturday, August 12th. Ireland will also play Austria in a behind closed doors friendly the following day. Tickets for the game at the National Basketball Arena can be purchased here.
Full Ireland Squad:
Michelle Clarke (Killester), Mia Furlong (The Address UCC Glanmire), Bridget Herlihy (Ensino Lugo, Spain), Kate Hickey (Waterford Wildcats), Sarah Hickey (Waterford Wildcats), Lauryn Homan (Brunell)*, Enya Maguire (Houston Christian University), Gandy Malou-Mamel (Gill St.Bernard’s)*, Annaliese Murphy (The Address UCC Glanmire)*, Áine O’Connor (Leixlip Amenities Liffey Celtics), Ella O’Donnell (Quinnipiac University), Bronagh Power-Cassidy (Holy Cross University), Abigail Rafferty (Ulster University), Edel Thornton (Brunell), Hannah Thornton (DCU Mercy), Sorcha Tiernan (Leixlip Amenities Liffey Celtics).
*Denotes previously uncapped player
