Artane basketball star celebrates Ireland call-up

A NORTHSIDE basketball star is looking forward to representing her country on the international stage next month. 

Sinead Boyle, from Artane, has been chosen for the Ireland Under 16 Women’s team who will compete in the FIBA Under 16 Women’s European Championship Division B in Montenegro from August 16-25.

In October 2016, the Basketball Ireland Post-Primary Schools Challenge (BIPPS) was held at the National Basketball Arena and Sinead (16) represented her school, Manor House Raheny, on the East team. 

This challenge series brings the eight basketball regions together, from which a development squad for the Under 16 European Championship is selected.

Sinead, who started playing basketball under Annette Ingle at DCU Mercy and now plays for Pyrobel Killester, made the first selection of 32 players. Another four players were added following open trials the following weekend.

In August 2017, the reduced squad of 24 players travelled to Iceland to play their national squad. 

The team won two out of the three matches they played that weekend. At the beginning of 2018 there were two more cuts with the last one being after Easter when the team travelled to Denmark who are the reigning Under 16W champions.  

Despite travel delays, the Irish team put on a brave performance in the first match and narrowly lost in overtime. Ireland won the second match and lost the third. The final 12 players were selected a week later and Sinead, who trained in the development progamme under Lisa Grennell, made the squad.

Sinead’s proud mum, Tara, said: “The team have a detailed strength and conditioning programme to follow each day so most days see her running down the back lanes behind our house in Artane or working out in the gym in Parnell’s GAA, Coolock, who are great supporters of Killester Basketball Club.

“Sinead is currently a pupil of Manor House Raheny and her PE teacher, Ms Emma Cassidy, has been a tremendous support to her.  

“She recently turned 16 but couldn’t celebrate her birthday as it was the start of her Junior Cert exams which are now thankfully behind her.”  

In the past few weeks, members of the Ireland squad have been trying to raise awareness of their team and are looking for sponsorship as it will cost €2,500 for each player to travel to Luxembourg for a pre-Euros championship followed by a visit to Montenegro for the FIBA U16 European championship.