Cork Basketball: Fr Mathew's lacked firepower to trouble St Paul's
Catalyst Fr Mathew's Laila Blair takes on Utility Trust St Paul's Tara Cousins during the Domino's Women's Super League game at the Fr Mathew Arena. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Catalyst Fr Mathew’s lost their 12th Domino’s Women’s Super League game in a row when they went down to Utility Trust St Paul’s at the Fr Mathew’s Arena last Saturday evening.
St Paul’s shot the ball extremely well in the opening two periods with Americans Tara Cousins and Maisie Burnham to the fore. However, Fr Mathew’s Americans Laila Blair and Stacie Jones also had hot hands combining for a total of 26 points to trail 46-37 at the half.
The visitors from Killarney St Paul’s raced into an early 7-4 lead with two baskets and an effort beyond the arc by their Burnham and when Lovisa Hevinder nailed a big three-pointer, they pushed their lead out to 12-3 midway through the opening period.
The home side reduced the deficit 12-8 with an inside bucket by Jones and a big three from Blair. However, Cousins nailed consecutive short jumpers to push St Paul's lead out to 16-8 with a minute to play in the quarter.
The visitors finished the period with a flourish with baskets from Lorraine Scanlon and Denise Dunlea to lead 25-13.
St Paul’s increased their lead 32-14 with another long effort beyond the arc by Burnham and a pair of foul shots by Scanlon but baskets from Jones, Blair and Amy Murphy kept Mathew’s in touch. They trailed 34-24 midway through the second period.
Mathew’s reduced the deficit 37-31 with an inside bucket by Grainne Dywer and a big three by Blair but a pull-up jumper and a long-range three gave the visitors a 46-37 lead at the half.
To be honest, St Paul’s just had too much firepower ran out comfortable winners at the end of the game.
Amy Murphy gave Mathew’s the perfect start to the third period with a big effort beyond the arc to trail 46-40 two minutes from the restart. However, three-pointers by Hevinder and Burnham had the Kerry side leading 55-43 midway through the quarter.
The battle between Blair and Cousins was a great watch for the supporters as they exchanged big threes for their respective sides. Yet St Paul’s went into the final quarter leading 68-51.
Both sides exchanged baskets at the start of the last period, but when Burnham nailed a pair of foul shots, she gave her side a 74-53 lead after two minutes.
In fairness, the defence that Irish international Scanlon was superb as she held Jones to only four second-half points, but more importantly, she kept her off the boards which got her team out running the floor. They led 79-59 with four minutes remaining in the game. Although Dywer and Blair battled hard for the hosts, they just couldn't trouble a very good Killarney side.
Laila Blair 24, Stacie Jones 16, Grainne Dwyer 10.
Maisie Burnham 29, Tara Cousins 24, Lovisa Hevinder 18.
Hannah McCarthy, Daniel Murphy-O’Riordan, Amy Murphy, Abby Murphy, Grainne Dwyer, Ciara McCarthy, Liara Blair, Holly O’Brien, Saidbh Fitzgerald, Stacie Jones, Lesley-Ann Wilkinson.
Tara Cousins, Naoise O’Connor, Lynn Jones, Leah McMahon, Maisie Burnham, Denise Dunlea, Lorraine Scanlon, Siofra O’Shea, Lovisa Hevinder, Deirdre Geaney.
Jozsef Vida (Dublin), Yifam Ivi (Dublin)
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