Dayna Finn in action for Ireland at the European championships last August. Photo: Sportsfile

Dayna makes Irish basketball A squad

KILTIMAGH'S Dayna Finn has been named on the Irish panel to compete in the European Women's Basketball A Championships which will be held in Italy from August 4 to 12.

Dayna, who is currrently studying in NUIG, was part of the Irish Women's Under 18 B team who reached the European final last year where they were defeated by Germany.

It was the most succesful run by any Irish women's basketball team as they won out their group before advancing to the final, accounting for teams such as Poland, Israel, Macedonia and Great Britain.

The success in the B championships secured their promotion to the much tougher A divison where they will be up against the very best in European women's basketball.

Dayna is not new to playing at international level as she also featured on the Irish 16 team two years ago.

It will be a busy summer for the NUIG student as she has also been added to the Mayo senior ladies football panel.

A former student at St. Louis Community School in Kiltimagh where she won an All-Ireland cup and league Under 16 double, Dayna, who began her basketball with Kiltimagh Giants Basketball Club, also secured an All-Ireland intermediate cup medal playing for NUIG Mystics earlier this year.

Irish coach Patrick O'Neill said: “This is the toughest decision I have had to make and, having spent almost 18 months with this squad, it is extremely difficult to tell a player that they won’t be moving forward. It has been a very tough process deciding what 12 have the right on-court chemistry to compete in the manner we want.

The players who haven't been selected should be proud of the work that they have put in. All of them have represented their country, club and our squad, achieving and exceeding the high standards required.

We have a busy schedule in the next few months in preparation for Europeans, with internationals in France, Portugal and Luxembourg, and the players know that they have a lot of work ahead in preparation for Italy.”