Cork Basketball: Brunell edge out Glanmire in tough derby
Joy for Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell after the one-point win against The Address UCC Glanmire at Mardyke Arena. Picture: Larry Cummins
Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell edged out The Address UCC Glanmire in the Women’s Super League clash at the Mardyke Arena.
In a pulsating finish Glanmire had three opportunities to win the game at the death but on each occasion failed to the ball in the basket.
In the end, Brunell’s never-say-die attitude got them over the line and despite not having her best game in a Brunell jersey Edel Thornton still managed to finish with a game-high 19 points as she works her way back to fitness.
In the opening minute, we had five possessions with both sides attempting four poor shots with the other a poor turnover. Suddenly Glanmire nailed two baskets but Thornton ensured Brunell edged ahead with a stunning move to the hoop.
Strangely Thornton was substituted in the fourth minute and a brace of Annaliese Murphy free throws tied the game midway through the quarter.
The pace of the game was frantic and the Brunell American Deljanae Williams drained a stunning three-pointer only for Murphy to respond with a similar shot in the sixth minute.
Thornton returned to the action a minute later and when Ava Walsh stepped outside the arc with two minutes remaining it helped Brunell lead by the minimum.
In the final minute, the experience of Danielle O’Leary resurfaced with consecutive three-pointers, but it was the Glanmire captain Aine McKenna who had the final say with a three that reduced the deficit to 23-21. Murphy levelled proceedings on the restart as Glanmire looked to playing far better defence but the sides were still level in the 13th minute.
Credit to Claire O’Sullivan who had an excellent game on the boards for Glanmire when introduced but after 14 exhilarating minutes the home side led by the minimum: 31-30.
The number of easy tips missed by both teams was staggering as many of them were unchallenged lay-ups. The reintroduction of O’Sullivan worked well for Glanmire as consecutive baskets helped them into an eight-point lead, two minutes to the interval.
The Brunell coach Liam Culloty immediately called a time-out but the shooting of McKenna kept Glanmire ticking over as they increased their lead to nine points entering the final minute. A Thornton interception was immediately responded to by Williams as Glanmire looked the happier of the two teams at the break when commanding a 45-36 lead.
Missed shots and turnovers greeted the third quarter but Glanmire were still eight points to the good two minutes into this period. There is little doubt the standard of basketball dropped in this period as scoring became a chore.
Not for the first time in this game did O’Sullivan come to the Glanmire rescue with a neat jumper in the 25th minute. On each occasion Brunell threatened a mini-revival, Glanmire responded with key baskets with Aoife Morrisey draining a crucial three-pointer with three minutes remaining.
The closing minutes were exciting and although it was error-ridden Glanmire were still six points to the good 58-52 entering the fourth quarter. Ava Walsh gave Brunell the perfect start and when Thornton stepped outside the arc a minute into the restart the Glanmire lead was reduced to two points.
It was down to the minimum six minutes from the end and Brunell edged ahead when Hudson finished a lay-up midway through the quarter.
We were still tied entering the closing couple of minutes but Glanmire blew it at the death when victory stared them in the face.
A McKenna 15, C Cavaunagh 14, D Williams 11, C O'Sullivan 10.
E Thornton 19, T Hudson 13, D Richardson 12.
D Williams, C Cavanaugh, S O’Reilly, A Murphy, M Furlong, L Walsh, J Schnelle, M Loughrey, E Dunne, A Furlong, A Morrissey , C O’Sullivan, A McKenna.
K Sexton, R Sexton, L Hannigan, A Walshe, L Homan, D O’Leary, I McSweeney, E Thornton, T Hudson, A Lyons, D Richardson, C Downey, M O’Leary.
Jamie Dooley (Portlaoise), Peter James Coughlan (Cork).
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