Pres make their mark to clinch the silverware

The St Brigid’s Presentation Minor All-Ireland winners, front from left, Kate Fleming, Clodagh O’Sullivan, Annie Brosnan, Naoise O’Connor, Kelsey Cummins and Kate Lyons with, at back, Christian Lyne Roberts (coach), Tara Cronin, Tara O’Sullivan, Millie Spillane, Amy Fitzgerald, Faye Lynch, Leah O’Sullivan, Niamh Brosnan and Kate Donnellan (coach)

Girls from St Brigid’s Presentation Secondary School in Killarney have regained the All-Ireland Minor A Schools’ Basketball Championship crown for a second year in a row.

The two-day competition was held at the University of Limerick and they were drawn in a very difficult group along with Calasantius of Galway, Colaiste Choilm, Ballincollig and Mount Sackville, Dublin.

The south west champions won each game comfortably to top the group and move on to the next day facing difficult opponents in Malahide, Dublin. The Killarney girls started slowly but got into the game in the final two quarters and they progressed by a margin of three points.

This was the game the players needed as they knew that the competition was about to get stronger and tougher. In the semi-final, Pres drew St Mary’s of Mallow and they had a real battle on their hands but they prevailed on a scoreline of 43-12.

The Pres junior team who won All-Ireland silver medals, front from left, Clodagh O’Sullivan, Naoise O’Connor, Grace Cox, Anna Kate, Aideen Fleming, Abby Doherty and Kate Healy with, at back, Amy Fitzgerald, Faye Lynch, Cora O’Donovan, Eva O’Shea, Keira Moynihan, Ciara O’Sullivan, Clodagh Clancy, Clíona Moynihan and Laura Healy

The other semi-final saw Cresent Comprehensive play Castleisland Community College. Earlier in the year, the Pres beat Crescent in the regional finals and got the better of the Casteisland girls at home so confidence was high and they were ready for the challenge.

Crescent narrowly progressed to the final and they actually built up an 8-1 lead after the first quarter. Killarney defended in packs and countered quickly, however, to turn over the score in their favour to 28-9 at the half.

This proved too much of a deficit for Crescent to overcome as the Pres girls remained strong throughout with the final score at 41-23.

Another great day saw the Killarney girls finish their season unbeaten after 15 games and going home with the All-Ireland cup having been inspired by coaches Kate Donnellan and Christian Lyne Roberts.

The Pres junior team, meantime, narrowly lost out in the final against OLSPK Belfast in Dublin. The game ended 40-32 as a strong Belfast outfit just got the better of the Killarney girls.

The Pres cadets team also were successful this season as they secured All-Ireland bronze in Tallaght in February.

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