Sport

St Catherine's hold off Teresian Digest

Basketball: The first day of the Trebor 24-7 All-Ireland Schools league finals at the ESB Arena produced some gripping finishes…

Thu Mar 20 2003 - 00:00

Basketball: The first day of the Trebor 24-7 All-Ireland Schools league finals at the ESB Arena produced some gripping finishes, with Teresian College's fate decided in the last second of their cadette B game with St Catherine's of Killybegs.

After a quiet first quarter, Teresian, Donnybrook, regrouped but still trailed 19-12 at the interval after superb play from Deirdre Ward and Kelly Johnson had allowed Killybegs to retain a seven point cushion.

But through the combined efforts of Orla Donnelly and the formidable duo of Lorenza Cafolla and Suzie Doyle, Teresian had cut Killybegs' lead to just two points going into the final quarter.

But despite going in front for the first time with the score at 33-32, Teresian were then penalised in the final second. And that was enough invitation for Johnson to convert the two free throws and hand the title to Killybegs.

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Elsewhere Berni McCormack inspired St Joseph's, Athboy, in the cadette B final against Coláiste Einde of Galway, her four baskets in the third quarter wiping out a lead of 10 points. From there Athboy took control to eventually win 39-35.

In the final game of the day, the boys' under-19 C decider, Knockbeg of Carlow defeated Carrick-on-Shannon, with Shane O'Neill hitting five three-pointers for John Behan's team.

HOCKEY: Crescent College Comprehensive, Coláiste Iognáid of Galway and Dublin's St Andrew's College will make their All-Ireland Schools' finals' debuts in Limerick today, where Lurgan College and Loreto Wexford complete the line-up.

Crescent, who last month became the first Limerick school to win the Munster Senior Cup since Laurel Hill in 1974, stage the tournament on their new astro-turf pitch which was completed in November.

SNOOKER: Fergal O'Brien missed out on a place in the World Championship when he lost 10-8 to Gary Wilkinson in the final qualifying round in Torquay last night. The Dubliner led 8-7 but Wilkinson finished strongly.

Also through is John Parrott (38) who, despite a bout of the jitters, secured his 20th straight visit to the Crucible Theatre with a nail-biting 10-8 victory over Finnish number one Robin Hull. Patrick Wallace lost 10-6 to Allister Carter.

FINAL QUALIFYING (in Torquay): G Greene (NIrl) bt A Hamilton (Eng) 10-3, A Carter (Eng) bt P Wallace (NIrl) 10-6, J Parrott (Eng) bt R Hull (Fin) 10-8, G Wilkinson (Eng) bt F O'Brien (Irl) 10-8.