Glanmire basketballers stunned by Portlaoise Panthers on home turf
UCC Glanmire’s Claire O'Sullivan moving up the court at the Mardyke Arena. Picture: Chani Anderson
Portlaoise Panthers helped by a 25-point contribution from Jessica Fressle stunned The Address UCC Glanmire into submission with a shock win in the Women’s Super League at the Mardyke Arena on Sunday.
In a game where Glanmire fell short coming down the stretch the Midlanders dug deepest to record a famous win.
The Glanmire captain Aine McKenna showed her class in the opening possession when nailing a monstrous three-pointer. McKenna looked on fire in the opening exchanges as McKenna was on hand to execute her second three in the second minute for a 7-0 lead.
Credit to the Panthers they responded with seven unanswered points to level the game before the new Glanmire American Trinity Oliver responded with a neat jumper.
The Panthers were playing a high-tempo game that was posing the Glanmire defence problems and with American Alyssa Velles shooting well they reduced the deficit to the minimum with three minutes remaining in the quarter.
There is little doubt the Glanmire coach wouldn’t have been happy with his sides defending in this period with the sides level at 17 points each approaching the ninth minute. When the home needed inspiration, they got it from American Deljanae Williams and Claire O’Sullivan as their late baskets helped them into a 25-17 lead entering the second quarter.
Glanmire restarted sluggishly and when Shauna Dunne finished with an unchallenged lay-up in the 13th minute it reduced the deficit to three points.
Indeed, a minute later the sides were level before O’Sullivan produced a welcome basket for Glanmire.
Surpringly, Glanmire continued to miss easy tips as the Panthers continued to pose them problems but a wonderful move to the hoop by Trinity Oliver and a bonus shot gave her side an eight-point lead with a minute remaining to the interval.
The home side had possession with 20 seconds left and coach Mark Scannell decided to call a time-out to set a play. The result was a turnover but there was still all to play for despite Glanmire having s seven-point lead, 38-31, at the break.
Both teams exchanged baskets in the opening minute of the second half but the Panthers' defence was restricting Glanmire from gaining control with seven points between the teams midway through the quarter. Glanmire’s lead was whittled down to five points before McKenna stepped up with a stunning shot outside the arc.
Entering the final quarter Glanmire led 53-45 but the visitors hit consecutive three-pointers to cut the deficit to 53-51.
Suddenly the home side were struggling to score as the Panthers continued to hustle and put them out of their rhythm.
Lyn Tunnah stepped it up with her shooting outside the arc and when Jessica Fressle nailed a brace of free throws the sides were tied at 63 points each with 2.43 remaining. Fressle edged Panthers ahead 66-63 following a basket and bonus as Glanmire now looked in big trouble before Williams tied the game with 20 seconds remaining.
Portlaoise got their reward for a battling display when former Glanmire ace Amy Dooley drained a free throw that gave them this unexpected win on Leeside.
T Oliver 19, C O’Sullivan 12, A McKenna 12.
J Fressle 25, L Tunnah 15, A Velles 14.
D Williams, T Oliver, S O’Reilly, A Murphy, M Furlong, L Walsh, M Loughrey, E Dunne, A Furlong, A Morrissey, C O’Sullivan, A McKenna.
H Dunne, S Dooley, C Byrne, M Dunne, L Tunnah, J Burke, C Brophy, A Dooley, A Velles, S Quigley, J Fressle.
Armanas Immers (Cavan), Peter James Coughlan (Cork).
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