Ireland's senior women’s team lost 70-54 to the Czech Republic at the National Basketball Arena, in their second FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2023 Qualifiers game.
Claire Melia again impressed with 10 points, nine rebounds and four assists, while Sorcha Tiernan came off the bench to top score with 12 points, from four three-pointers.
Melia got Ireland off the mark with a layup in the 2nd minute to lead 2-0. The Czech’s established a 5-2 lead, before a big three from Maura Fitzpatrick brought it back level at 5 apiece.
The Czechs stared to build a score and Petra Holesinska was to the fore, with eight points in the opening quarter and they led 23-10 by the end of it.
A big three from Eliska Hamsova with two and a half minutes gone in the second quarter, stretched the Czech’s lead to 27-11. But Ireland didn’t let up, a three point jump shot from Sorcha Tierna with two minutes to go reduced the deficit to 33-21.
30 seconds later Maura Fitzpatrick had to be helped off the court after colliding with Veronika Vorackova, jarring her knee in the process.
It was a big loss, the Connecticut-born player had picked up eight points by that stage. She didn’t reappear in the second half and the Gloucester City Queens player was heading for an MRI scan on the injury after the game.
A Julia Reisingerová hook shot on the buzzer made it 37-21 at half-time.
Ireland came out after the break looking to make inroads and a pair of threes from Tiernan within the space of 30 seconds saw Czech Republic’s lead reduced to 13 points, 46-33, at the midway point in the third quarter.
A brilliant block in the final seconds by Michelle Clarke when a breakaway layup was on the cards saw the score remain 54-38 going into the final quarter.
An Edel Thornton 3-point jump shot with a little over two minutes gone in the fourth quarter saw Ireland trail 55-41. The sides then exchanged threes, Czech Republic captain Petra Zaplatova’s score cancelled out by Tiernan straight away and it was 58-44 with seven minutes remaining. It brought Tiernan’s total on the night up to 12.
But Ireland failed to reduce the deficit further, Veronika Vorackova’s layup with three and a half minutes to go had the Czech’s leading by 23 points, 69-46.
Mimi Clarke’s three point jump shot was the highlight from the closing minutes. Ireland were defeated 70-54, but plenty of positives from a determined performance.
Ireland: Michelle Clarke (3), Gráinne Dwyer (4) Dayna Finn (4), Maura Fitzpatrick (8), Rachel Huijsdens (0), Anna Kelly (7), Sarah Kenny (DNP), Claire Melia (10), Hannah Thornton (2), Edel Thornton (4), Sorcha Tiernan (12) , Aine O'Connor (0).
Czech Republic: Kristyna Brabencova (3), Katerina Galickova (3), Eliska Hamzova (4), Petra Holesinska (9), Michaela Krejzova (0), Petra Malikova (0), Julie Pospisilova (7), Julia Reisingerova (12), Veronika Sipova (8), Natalie Stoupalova (8), Veronika Vorackova (11), Petra Zaplatova (5).
