Late Wildcats finish wins an epic top of the table battle
Wildcats Kate Hickey goes on the outside of Liffey Celtics Sorcha Tiernan.
The STS sponsored SETU Wildcats produced an epic performance to see off the challenge of unbeaten Kildare team Liffey Celtics at the Mercy Sports hall on Saturday last. This game had it all with both sides dogged in defence while producing many sensational scores which included 16 three pointers. Kate Hickey was first to register a score from close range before she followed up with a three pointer to put Wildcats 5 up. Aisha McCalla and team captain Helena Rohan added further baskets but with no reply from Celtics which left the score at 11 points to 6 after the opening 5 minutes. More scores were exchanged before a combination of baskets from Kate and Aisha left Wildcats in command leading 21 - 13 at the end of the first quarter.
The game continued at a hot pace with tremendous scores that excited the packed house of home supporters who encouraged their favourites with loud support from start to finish. Gradually Celtics chipped away at Wildcats advantage which was 14 points midway through the quarter thanks to more fine scores from McCalla and Hickey. Celtics international guards Sorcha Tiernan, Hazel Finn and Ciara Bracken converted 18 points between them to close the gap before Sarah Hickey made back to back baskets leaving Wildcats up by 4 as the half way stage showed Wildcats hanging on 38 points to 34.
The break came at a perfect time for coach Jillian Hayes to reassure her players and prepare them for what turned out to be two final humdinging final quarters. With Celtics now in hot form offensively Wildcats had to dig deep defensively where Aoifa Brett and Orla Dullaghan certainly played their part while Chelsea Cain pulled down rebound after rebound to keep the visitors scoring threat to a minimum. Ardiana Shallci and Miriam Rasenberger were also solid when called upon as scores due to tenacious defence from both teams were hard to come by. However the hickey sisters Kate and Sarah combined to add 8 points to Wildcats total as did Rohan and McCalla with more welcome baskets to match Celtics best efforts which left just 2 points (57-55) going into the final quarter.
Sarah Hickey's inside move produced a wonderful score which left 4 points between the teams. This proved to be the biggest difference between the teams in a pulsating final 10 minutes. Every time one team scored the other was quick to reply leaving the game all square (63-63) with just 4 minutes remaining. Sarah Hickey blitzed the net with a long distance three pointer but her effort was cancelled out moments later with a similar score from Sorcha Tiernan which again levelled the game 68-68 with 1 minute to the buzzer. Ashia McCallas amazing three pointer and two on the free throw line from Kate Hickey proved enough to take the victory 73-70 which leaves Wildcats joint leaders of the Super League with Celtics and Dublin Meteors who will visit Waterford in two weeks’ time.
Commenting after the game, SETU Waterford Wildcats head coach, Jillian Hayes said: “We’re absolutely delighted for the girls to get the win. It was a very hard-fought game. We started extremely well and we were cruising, but Liffey kept coming back.
“Overall we worked so hard as a team on defence to secure the win. We still have room to improve and lots to work on, but we are gelling together nicely as a team” Next Sunday Wildcats travel to Cork where they face reigning champions Brunell in the first round of the National Cup. Straight after the game the Hickey sisters and their mother / coach Jillian Hayes-Hickey join up in Dublin with their Team Ireland teammates before flying to Latvia who they face in a crucial European championship game. Then they return Friday in time for the big Super League game at home to Dublin Meteors.
Kate Hickey, Orla Dullaghan, Helena Rohan, Sarah Hickey, Aoife Brett, Ashia McCalla, Ardiana Shallci, Miriam Rasenberger, Chelsea Cain.
Ashia McCalla (25), Kate Hickey (18), Sarah Hickey (17), Helena Rohan (9).
Kate O’Flaherty, Ciara Bracken, Eboni Williams, Rachel Huijsdens, Katie O’Sullivan, Clara Boyce, Sorcha Tiernan, Hazel Finn, Áine O’Connor.
Ciara Bracken (20), Sorcha Tiernan (19), Hazel Finn (19), Áine O’Connor (5).
