DCU Mercy defeated WIT Waterford Wildcats 68-65 to book their place in the Paudie O'Connor Cup final of the InsureMyHouse.ie National Cup where they will play against The Address UCC Glanmire.
DCU Mercy’s two Americans, Bailey Greenberg and Alarie Mayze, stood out with 20 and 18 points respectively in Saturday's semi-final victory at Neptune Stadium.
WIT Waterford Wildcats started brightly and opened up an 8-4 lead by the third minute, with Abby Flynn scoring four points - two free throws and a layup - and she would have six points to her name by the end of the quarter.
It was a frenetic opening quarter, with Greenberg and Mayze scoring six points each, but it was WIT Waterford Wildcats who led 18-16 by the end of it.
The second quarter followed the pattern of the first as WIT Wildcats edged into a lead, only for DCU Mercy to peg them back. A Stephanie O'Shea layup had WIT Waterford Wildcats 30-24 up with three minutes to go in the second quarter.
But a Mayze fast break and layup and another layup from Rachel Huijsdens made it a one-point game at 30-29 with less than two minutes to go. But WIT Waterford Wildcats stretched their advantage to five by half-time, 34-29, with Rachel Thompson delivering the final points of the quarter.
DCU Mercy cancelled out that advantage in the opening minute of the third quarter, thanks to a Mayze three-point jump shot and a Greenberg layup, to bring it level at 34-34. DCU Mercy then went in front four and a half minutes into the quarter, Greenberg again with a two-point jump shot, to lead 43-42.
A big three from Rachel Thomspon in the sixth minute put WIT Waterford Wildcats back ahead, 45-43. However the topsy turvy nature of the game continued as two Hannah Thornton lay-ups saw the lead switch once more, with Mayze also following with two points, to make it 49-46 to DCU Mercy.
DCU Mercy opened the fourth quarter with two big threes from Bailey Greenberg to make it 55-48 but Kate Hickey responded with one of her own for WIT Waterford Wildcats.
Four points in quick succession by Megan Connolly saw DCU Mercy open a 64-55 advantage midway through the final quarter and an Alarie Mayze rebound afterwards made it an 11-point game.
WIT Waterford Wildcats tried to force their way back into the contest, however the baskets just were not initially landing for Tommy O’Mahony’s side. But WIT Waterford Wildcats came roaring back in the final two minutes, with nine points in a row to make it 68-65 with 32 seconds remaining. As the clock ran out Jazmine Walker had one final attempt to level it, but failed with her three point effort.
