All Ireland U19 Basketball Champions

Kinsale Community School’s U19 Girls Basketball Team were crowned All Ireland Champions in the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght, Dublin on February 25th.

Buoyed by buses of wonderful supporters, the team confidentially took to the court for the National Anthem. Tip -off ensued and Kinsale settled quickly into a game which proved to be defensive in nature. Crucial scores from Vice – Captain Lorraine Collins, produced due to excellent rebounding by Fiona Keating enabled Kinsale to take a first quarter lead. Indeed, Fiona herself contributed a basket and free throw in the second quarter, where Kinsale’s scoreline was boosted by a number of scores from Geraldine Tyner.

The second half saw Captain Dara Tyner take control of the tempo of the game from the point guard spot. Arianna Price stepped up with two vital steals from her opponents and an excellent display of shooting from the elbow. Sixth Year student Aoife O’ Leary scored within seconds of being introduced to the game and Third Year students Orlagh O’ Mahony and Emma Casey contributed greatly on the defensive end when gaining valuable game-time experience for their future in the game.

Overall the many training sessions after school, over midterms and Christmas paid off. These girls certainly displayed to all who viewed the game, at the venue or on YouTube, that dedication, determination and teamwork really do pay off.

Captain Dara Tyner received the cup at centre court in front of our fabulous supporters, who certainly showed the school spirit with which Kinsale Community School is synonymous. Most Valuable Player on the day was Leaving Certificate student Lorraine Collins. All 19 team members and Coaches Elaine Bennett and Marie Hayes received their All Ireland medals acknowledging the large student body, family and friends who attended.

The team was afforded a magnificent Homecoming in the School Gym by Management, Staff and students of the school to recognise their wonderful achievement of becoming All Ireland Champions. Team: Dara Tyner, Lorraine Collins, Fiona Keating, Aoife O’ Leary, Jessica Corkery, Lily Patton, Ava McCarthy, Katelyn Forde, Millie Allman, Antonia Assler, Geraldine Tyner, Arianna Price, Annemarie Collins, Alice O’ Callaghan, Kenzie Desmond, Grace O’ Reilly, Emma Casey, Orlagh O’Mahony and Claire Cronin.