Templeogue Under 14s bring home club’s first women’s national title

TEMPLEOGUE Basketball Club have claimed their first ever women’s national silverware after their Under 14 girls stormed to the All-Ireland Club Championship at the weekend.

The young Templeogue outfit demonstrated great resilience to overturn Limerick Celtics’ lead and run out eventual 36-29 winners in the showpiece at Gormanstown on Sunday.

“This has been an incredible season for the team, having also won the Dublin League and Cup,” Head Coach, Paul Behan, told The Echo after their historic triumph.

“This is the first female team in Templeogue to win an All-Ireland trophy and a fitting reward for their skill, resilience and dedication.”

Competing in Division A of the competition, Templeogue won all three of their pool games against Monaghan’s Carrick Cruisers, Limerick Celtics and Galway’s Maree to qualify for the semi-finals.

Having topped their pool, the young guns came up against fellow Dublin side, Tolka Rovers and produced their best basketball of the weekend against the taller outfit.

Baskets by Grace Miley, Katie Behan and Sophia Kiely helped them secure their spot in the decider in which they faced their toughest opposition from the pool stage, Limerick.

Celtics got off to a flier, playing with great tenacity to lead 15-2 at the end of the first quarter.

Templeogue’s only score came from Annnabel Keavey’s free throws and, with the influential Eabha Booth on a warning for three fouls, it looked as though it could be a long day.

Tightening up in defence, Kiely and Maria Mroczek sunk a few baskets to reduce the deficit, but Templeogue were still trailing 17-8 by the half-time interval.

Kiely was on fire throughout, tallying 14 to top the scoresheet, and her efforts, combined with those of Booth, Behan and Miley, helped see them overtake their Munster rivals.

With momentum on their side, Templeogue scored 18, while holding Limerick to just four points in the final quarter to secure the victory.