The Address UCC Glanmire have won their eighth InsureMyHouse.ie Paudie O'Connor Cup title after beating DCU Mercy 72-65 in a compelling contest at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght.
Ten points in the fourth quarter from Ireland international Claire Melia inspired a come-from-behind win, and first since 2018, having trailed by 14 points to DCU Mercy at one stage in the final quarter.
Melia was awarded the MVP, as she ended the game with 21 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, four steals and two turnovers.
Glanmire's Áine McKenna made a blistering start, landing two consecutive threes in the second minute, followed up by Casey Grace’s two-point jump shot, which saw the Cork club establish an early 8-0 lead.
Bailey Greenberg’s layup in the third minute got Mercy up and running. Melia opened her account with a layup and was fouled in the process and duly added the extra from the free throw line. She then turned provider for Carrie Shephard and suddenly it was 13-2.
Melia’s physicality was causing problems for Mercy, two consecutive layups from the forward had Glanmire 21-9 up with four minutes to go in the quarter.
Mercy closed the gap to 21-15 with six consecutive points from Rachel Huijsdens, Megan Connolly and Alarie Mayze. A pair of Amy Dooley baskets either side of a Huijsdens jump shot and it was 25-17 at the end of the first.
Mercy scored seven consecutive points to start the second quarter and it was a one-point game - the highlight being Nicole Clancy’s three pointer, as she made the desired impact off the bench.
That scoring sequence was broken by a Carrie Shephard fadeaway jump shot with 4’04 left in the quarter, the score now 27-24 to Glanmire.
Bailey Greenberg was having a good game offensively, her basket with 28 seconds left in the second quarter put Mercy in front for the first time, and it was followed by a buzzer-beating layup from Mayze to cap the turnaround in fortunes for Mark Ingle’s side, who led 34-31 at the break; Mercy’s two American’s, Bailey Greenberg and Alarie Mayze, with 13 and 10 points respectively at half-time.
Hannah Thornton and Melia exchanged baskets at the start of the third. Mercy then opened up a seven-point gap by the fourth minute, after a Greenberg layup and it was 42-35. Glanmire responded immediately, through layups by Tierney Pfirman and Shephard.
Next it was Mercy's turn to go on a run, as Mayze and Greenberg’s layups made it 47-39 with 3’09 to go as Glanmire called a timeout.
Claire Melia, who’d had a quieter second quarter, started to get back into the game in the third, her layup made it 49-43 with two minutes to go, but another Greenberg three point jump shot opened up a nine-point advantage for Mercy, 52-43, going into the final quarter.
It was the perfect start to the fourth for the DCU side too, thanks to a Mayze three-pointer ten seconds in. A McKenna free throw was brief respite for Glanmire, but Greenberg grabbed another three and the Dublin club now had a 14-point lead, 58-44, 30 seconds into the quarter.
But Glanmire came fighting back with a seven-point run, including a nice three from Shephard, followed by two Pfirman jump shots, to make it 58-55 with 5’42 left. Mayze then steadied the ship for Mercy, with a jump shot and they led 60-55 at the midway point.
Melia, who has three consecutive Player of Month awards, illustrated once more her huge talent with a monster three from way out with the shot-clock about to go – it was 60-60 with four minutes to go.
The shot prompted wild celebrations from Glanmire supporters, who must have sensed the momentum was now with their side. McKenna reinforced that belief with a three-pointer of her own 14 seconds later. It was followed by two Melia free throws, Mark Scannell’s side were now ahead 65-60 with 2’23 to go.
Hannah Thornton’s layup made it a three point game with 2’03 left, but seven points from the free throw line for Glanmire in the closing stages saw them close it out 72-65.
Glanmire head coach Mark Scannell said: "I hate when we get 10 and 12 point leads, because I find when we do that we kind of switch off because we think that it’s going to be easy, which we all do.
"You see it in a soccer match, the team goes 2-0 up they like to think it’s all over, but then there’s a goal and back in the game.
"So today we kind of played a bit like that, but what character, because the tide was going out, we were 14 points down, we got it back at one stage and I thought we were on a run, we turned it over, they scored a three point play and I was going 'here we go again’. I must say I said a few prayers to my mother and father today in the middle of that game.
"Claire’s shot – sometimes you need something special in a big occasion to make it happen and she did and then Áine (McKenna) backed it up. Áine had a fantastic start and then she cooled off, but down the stretch when we needed a captain and we needed a leader (she stepped up). And then then Tierney (Pfirman), who came in and had a very, very tough night at the office, but managed to find a way in the fourth quarter, a big rebound at the end, three point play, unintentional foul, that was the winning of the game as well there. So there were loads of little moments."
Earlier, NUIG Mystics claimed the InsureMyHouse.ie Women's Division One National Cup, following a 68-35 win over Griffith College Templeogue at the National Basketball Arena.
The County Galway club led from start to finish and were deserved winners. Courtney Cecere was awarded MVP after her 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Hazel Finn also caught the eye notching up 14 points and nine rebounds.
Forward Áine McDonagh, who had nine points and six rebounds, was elated in the aftermath.
"We all just appreciate it so much," she said.
"We've all tried for the past year, we’ve put in such hard work and it’s a real collective team, so it was amazing to do it with this bunch of girls.
"Every single game we have someone else stepping up for different games. Obviously we had Courtney stepping up huge today winning the golden ball, Hazel (Finn) as well, so every single girl can step up at different times and the scoring is always shared between everyone, which is great. It’s amazing to have Paul (O’Brien) as coach, he’s such an experienced coach and he brings such knowledge to the team and we just all love feeding off him."
While Waterford Wildcats took the InsureMyHouse.ie U20 Women's National Cup after a 67-51 victory over Portlaoise Panthers.
The Hickey sisters, Kate and Sarah, dominated proceedings at the National Basketball Arena, Sarah Hickey claimed the MVP after an impressive 24 points, 23 rebounds, two assists, four turnovers and three steals. Captain Kate Hickey had 14 points and six assists.
