BASKETBALL: IRELAND'S SENIOR women ended their European campaign in style with a famous 67-62 win over the Netherlands in front of a packed National Basketball Arena.
Ireland suffered a heartbreaking midweek loss to Iceland to rule out their hopes of reaching the play-offs but responded in perfect fashion on Saturday.
“This result is what the team deserves for all their efforts. When you look back we should have beaten Montenegro and Iceland but we have to look forward now and no better way than on the back of an excellent win over such a class outfit,” said head coach Mark Scannell.
“Other teams might have rolled over after a loss like we had on Wednesday but not this group of players,” he added.
“We had top displays from everyone, including Michelle Aspell, who was outstanding in what looks like her last game in an Irish jersey.”
For Aspell, it marked the perfect way to end her illustrious international career.
“It was a great way to sign off my international career and something I’ll never forget,” she said afterwards.
“It’s such a pity we didn’t beat Iceland, we really could have pulled it off but that’s in the past now and we must be able to celebrate a win against such a class European team like the Netherlands.”
Meanwhile, the Irish senior men suffered a disappointing 75-68 loss away to the Slovak Republic but their fine performance was no consolation to forward Paddy Kelly.
“We are extremely disappointed to come away with a loss after the way we performed,” said the Killester clubman.
“We pretty much had them on the ropes for the second half but we just couldn’t finish the job off.
“It’s a game we should have won and it acts as no consolation that we played well,” he added.
“We are making progress but we desperately wanted to come away with two wins from this series of games.”
A series of Irish fouls late in the game gave the Slovak Republic a chance to stretch their lead to 10 points in the important closing stages.
A determined last effort by the Irish eventually came up short and the Slovakians closed out the game to win comfortably by seven points.
