Brunell and Glanmire gear up for tough Super League playoff games

The business end of the Women’s Super League will begin on Saturday with both Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell and The Address UCC Glanmire both facing tough quarter-final games on the road.

Brunell will face a tough game in the capital for the second consecutive weekend when they play Killester who defeated them last weekend 86-81.

To be fair this game was only decided in the closing minutes and Brunell will feel they have every chance of overturning this result.

Killester are a decent side on their home court but not unbeatable and if Brunell can restrict their American Samantha Hailby they could well book a place in the final four.

UP AND DOWN

It has been a season of inconsistency for Brunell that began with a mix-up in the registration of American players that saw them play with only one professional for a couple of games.

The biggest problem for Brunell was the injury to captain Edel Thornton that kept her sidelined until Christmas as they failed to retain their Paudie O’Connor National Cup title.

Looking at their squad they have a chance of competing with the best sides in the league but their American pairing of Trinity Hudson and Deaja Richardson will have to produce the goods.

In the case of Hudson, she has improved in the last couple of games after underachieving for the majority of the campaign and this is a game her team certainly needs her to step up to the plate.

Richardson is a slick- shooter but it takes two to tango and both Americans will simply have to do the business.

Thornton will be guaranteed to lead by example and fellow Irish international Lauryn Homan will need a season-best on the boards against Hannah Thornton who likes to mix it in the physicality stakes.

The Dublin side will be favourites to advance but if Brunell are focused on the job in hand they are capable of upsetting them.

It has been a season to forget on the professional player front for The Address UCC Glanmire and they will go into their quarter-final against Liffey Celtics as rank outsiders.

Glanmire released Callie Cavanaugh a few weeks ago as she indicated she needed to return home only for her to be tempted to play for St Paul’s Killarney before heading back to her homeland.

Coach Mark Scannell then signed Trinity Oliver but she only lasted a fortnight and was released on mutual agreement.

The situation right now is that Glanmire go into the play-offs with only one professional and it’s hard to see them upsetting Liffey Celtics on their home court.

When the sides clashed on Saturday last the game was tight for three quarters and coach Mark Scannell feels his side will be ready for battle.

The Cork side were also missing the influential Claire O’Sullivan and her return will make them a stronger unit.

Glanmire are seasoned campaigners but surely the class of the cup champions will see the Kildare side prevail.