Brunell finally made the breakthrough with a brilliant display on the biggest stage of all

AN HISTORIC first Paudie O’Connor National Cup title for Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell and the scenes of celebration at the end of the game by the players and those who run the club, families like the Thorntons, and the O’Leary’s needed to be seen to be believed.

Tears flowed openly and it was the end of 40 years of hurt.

Today was their day.

Fr Mathew’s will have to wait for their day, but even their most ardent supporters could not begrudge Brunell this famous win.

They will dedicate this one to founding member, club president Andrew Drumm who passed away last year, but I have no doubt Andrew was looking down on his club today and he would have loved what he saw.

Americans Jayla Johnson and Kyaja Williams are top professionals and did their job very well, but Brunell’s home-grown players were the difference.

Lauren Homan, Edel Thornton and Danielle O’Leary were inspired in everything they did on the court.

Thornton won the official MVP award, ending the game with 18 points and eight assists but it really should have been shared with Lauren Homan, who ended with 23 points and set the tone for this 16-point win.

Danielle O’Leary, continued where she left off in the semi-final and she is having the best season of her career. She ended with 13 points and was four from five from the three-point line.

The opening quarter was a fantastic advert for the women’s game with both sides attacking each other from the opening tip.

It was run-and-gun basketball with no time for structured plays, it was freelance basketball at its best with several players showcasing their talent on both ends of the court.

For Brunell, Lauren Homan was incredible. She ended the quarter with 12 points and was two from three from the three-point line.

Edel Thornton with seven points was her usual self on both ends of the floor, while for Fr Mathew’s Niamh Dwyer showed that you can’t leave her open from three-point range hitting two from two, while Ariel Johnson was class in the open court and led all scorers with 13 points.

Brunell led 28-25 at the end of the first, but it was a very even game, both teams having good spells, followed by silly ones, the main difference between the teams was Brunell had outrebounded Mathew’s 12 to six.

Brunell started the second on fire and in under three minutes they had stretched their lead to 10, 36-26 thanks to a huge three from Danielle O’Leary and great inside play by Ariel Johnson.

Fr Mathew’s had changed defence at this stage but Brunell kept finding the open player and with five to play in the opening half they trailed by 11, 43-32 and Brunell with O’Leary controlling the game at the point with Edel Thornton, the Nellies were in complete control.

But when their need was greatest up stepped Grainne Dwyer who with her intensity and ability to win the dirty ball hit four points in succession to cut the deficit to five, 43-38 and force Brunell coach Liam Culloty into a time out.

That quick chat with his team steadied the ship and four points from Ariel Johnson saw them regain their composure and push the lead back out to seven, 47-40 and with Edel Thornton continuing to show her class and scoring prowess, Brunell were ahead 51-43.

INCREDIBLE

Shannon Brady cut it to 51-45, before the game’s best player in the opening half Homan ended it with an incredible three-pointer on the buzzer to take Brunell’s lead back up to nine and her tally to 15 points.

Thornton was hot on her heels for the MVP award with 13 of her own, as well as six rebounds and five assists.

The standard of play in the first half was incredible from both sides, but the shot selection and execution from Brunell was superb. They hit 78% from the free throw line, 59% from the floor and an incredible 47% from the three-point line.

Brunell got off to a flyer in the third. Quick points from Thornton and Johnson had them 13 ahead, 60-47 with three minutes played and the game was now firmly under their control.

With just over five to play it was 64-51 and Fr Mathew’s now needed to stop Brunell from scoring so easily and get some quickfire points themselves, otherwise this final would be over as a contest.

The re-introduction of Grainne Dwyer for Mathew’s at this point gave her side a lift, and when a third foul was called on Edel Thornton with 4.49 to play, one felt she would have to come out of the game.

BRAVE CALL 

Brunell coach Liam Culloty took advantage of the new rule which allows a coach one review per game and once the call was reviewed on the TV screens on the scorers tables, the referees agreed she did not foul Ariel Johnson and momentum returned to Brunell.

It was a great call by Culloty and at the end of the third Brunell were still leading by nine points, 72-63 and their key player Thornton was heading into the final 10 minutes with three fouls to give and could play her usual game.

Fr Mathew’s led by Ariel Johnson gave it their all in the fourth and got the lead back to six at one point, but three huge three-pointers from Homan, Thorton and O’Leary in succession broke Mathew’s hearts and pushed the lead back out to 13, 86-73.

O’Leary with another huge three made it 91-81 with under three to play and another Johnson basket confirmed it was going to be Brunell’s day and they ran out winners 100 to 84.

And at the third time of asking, who could begrudge them this historic first senior National Cup final victory?

They were worthy winners.