Report: Eamonn Keogh
This Saturday’s eagerly anticipated senior ladies’ basketball national cup semi-final between Utility Trust St Paul’s and Killester won’t be the first time that the two sides have clashed at this stage of the competition.
Almost exactly 20 years ago, on January 28, 2005, the sides also met in the penultimate round of the cup at the National Basketball Arena in Dublin.
Current Irish head coach James Weldon was in charge of the Killarney side while his assistant that season was James Fleming, who is the current head coach.
In another great line with that encounter of two decades ago, the point guard for St Paul’s in that semi-final was Lynn Jones who is still a key player for the club 20 years on.
She had already established herself as an exciting prospect back then having represented Ireland at schoolgirls and Under 20 level as well as captaining St Paul’s to an Under 19 national cup success in 2003.
Remarkably, Lynn is still playing at the highest level and will be on the court again this weekend for this weekend’s semi-final.
Despite being well in contention for most of the 2005 tie, St Paul’s struggled in the final quarter and the Dubliners finished stronger to record a 78-56 victory in the end.
St Paul’s 2005 squad: Diane Griffin (captain), Carrie Walker, Lynn Jones, Muiriosa Galwey, Dara Barrett, Catriona O’Connell, Carolyn O’Mahony, Mary Walsh, Louise Galvin, Cassandra Buckley, Sinead O’Connell.
Coach: James Weldon. Assistant Coach: James Fleming.
Team Manager: Mary Griffin. Assistant Manager: Breeda O’Neill.
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