Killester reach Paudie O’Connor Cup final 

Killester reached their second Paudie O’Connor final in three years, thanks to a hard-fought 70-69 semi-final win over Utility Trust St. Paul’s at Neptune Stadium.  

The 2022/23 champions will now play FloMAX Liffey Celtics in the final, the Kildare outfit defeated SETU Waterford Wildcats 78-53 earlier on Saturday. 

Utility Trust St. Paul’s set out their stall early on with a Gracen Kerr basket with just 12 seconds on the clock.

Mathilde Diop found her range early on with a pair of threes, either side of Kerr’s, which had the Kerry club 13-8 up four minutes in.

The Killester squad
Picture Credit ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Killester hit the front 22-21 when Destiny Strother landed from the three point with two and a half minutes remaining, but it was Utility Trust St. Paul’s who held a narrow 27-25 advantage by the end of the quarter. 

A long range three from Diop – her third three – put Utility Trust St. Paul’s 35-29 up with four minutes gone in the second quarter.

A pair of Lorraine Scanlon free throws made it a nine point game to St. Paul’s with two minutes to go, 44-35.

A Samantha Haiby three in the final minute helped reduce the deficit, however it was Utility Trust St. Paul’s 45-39 ahead at half-time 

Killester started the third quarter with a 12-point run to turn the game in their favour. Strother got things underway, it was followed by a neat layup from Haiby and three’s from Ieva Bagdanviciene and Michelle Clarke.

The run was concluded by a Hannah Thornton layup, the Dublin club 51-45 ahead three minutes in.

Utility Trust St. Paul’s responded with four points from Alexandra Wittinger and Kerr to make it 51-49.

It was Utility Trust St. Paul’s with the slenderest of leads by the end of the third quarter, Kerr landed her third from the three-point line and a basket from Wittinger established a 56-55 advantage 

Killester again began the fourth quarter quickly, Strother’s three had them 62-58 up less than two minutes in.

But this topsy-turvy game was back level at 62 apiece thanks to pair of free throws each from Diop and Scanlon. 

There remained nothing between the sides, another Kerr three and it was 67 each with four minutes to go.

Killester’s Michelle Clarke, Ieva Bagdanaviciene and Samantha Haiby celebrate at the final buzzer. Picture Credit ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

In a game of fine margins a pair of Haiby free throws with a minute to go were to prove to be the winning points, Utility Trust St. Paul’s had possession with 13 seconds remaining, however a Bagdanviciene turnover sealed a dramatic win for Killester. 

A relieved Killester captain Michelle Clarke said: “I hope we never repeat that performance again, but I just think it shows the grit and determination and the experience we have in those big games. We needed to get over the line and happily we did it, by the skin of our teeth.” 

The Paudie O’Connor Cup final will take place at 1730 on Sunday 19th January at the National Basketball Arena and will be broadcast live on TG4. 

Quarter Scores: 

Q1: 27-25, Q2: 18-14 Q3: 11-16, Q4: 13-15 

Game Scores: 

Q1: 27-25, Q2: 45-39, Q3: 56-55, Q4: 69-70 

Utility Trust St. Paul’s: 

Paris McCarthy (0), Leah McMahon (DNP), Rheanne O’Shea (DNP), Lynn Jones (0), Gracen Kerr (20), Denise Dunlea (6), Lorraine Scanlon (6), Siofra O’Shea (0), Alexandra Wittinger (24), Meabh Barry (DNP), Mathilde Diop (13). 

Killester: 

Destiny Strother (11), Michelle Clarke (5), Samantha Haiby (20), Leilani Turner (5), Sarah Courtney (0), Bree Shelley (4), Ali Connolly (0), Robyn Malone (DNP), Ieva Bagdanviciene (12), Hannah Thornton (13), Maeve O’Seaghdha (0), Sara Fernandez Lopez (DNP).