Updated at 11pm
UL Huskies 69 Team Montenotte Hotel Cork 59 (Women’s Final)
Bord Gais Neptune 85 UL Eagle 65 (Men’s Final)
UL HUSKIES OVERCAME Team Montenotte Hotel Cork to win the Women’s SuperLeague Cup Final, while Bord Gais Neptune beat UL Eagles in the Men’s Final at a packed National Basketball Arena in Tallaght this evening.
It was a tight contest throughout in the women’s contest, with Rachel Clancy, Rachel Vanderwal and Louise Galvin all proving influential early on and enabling the Limerick team to take an early lead.
Their opponents, however, showed plenty of fight, and consequently, the Cork side trailed by only two points at the break.
Nonetheless, largely thanks to the stellar efforts of Michelle Fahy in the ensuing period, UL established a healthy lead again after the break.
Montenotte retained their valiant spirit throughout, and were only four behind with two minutes remaining, but a fastbreak layup from Aoife McDermott sealed her side’s victory in the dying stages, enabling them to retain their title.
It was somewhat more comfortable for Bord Gais Neptune in the Men’s Final, as they beat UL Eagles 85-65.
Gary Walsh inspired his side to take a comprehensive 23-11 lead early on, though Eagles star guard Rob Taylor helped make the score slightly more respectable just prior to half-time.
Neptune rarely looked in danger of letting their lead slip thereafter however, going on to win their first title in 21 years, with Ger Noonan’s off-balance reverse shot among the second-half highlights.
