Mixed evening for Mayo native as Ireland suffer defeat to Iceland
An Ireland team featuring Mayo native Hazel Finn was edged 81-73 by Iceland in their FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2029 Pre-Qualifiers opener at the National Basketball Arena on Wednesday.
The hosts were level at 73-73 apiece with two and a half minutes to go only for a late flourish to swing the game in Iceland’s favour.
Ireland, under new head coach Thomas Garlepp, will take plenty of positives from the performance, including Sarah Hickey’s 25 points and 14 rebounds, an impressive 15 points on FIBA Women’s EuroBasket debut for Ella O’Donnell, and new caps for Aoibheann Donnelly, Lucy Coogan and Katie Williamson.
A Finn floater saw Ireland hit the front (13-12) with three and a half minutes to go in the first quarter but it was Iceland who were ahead by four at the end (21-17).
Back-to-back threes from O’Donnell and Hickey put Ireland 24-21 up a little over two minutes into the second quarter, and by the break the hosts were leading 42-38.
While Ireland enjoyed a seven-point lead (47-40) early in the third quarter, the visitors hit back to lead by six (63-57) at the end of the action.
Inspired by a Finn layup and free throw and a hat trick of free throws by Hickey, Ireland were back level at 63-63 a minute and a half into the fourth quarter.
Unfortunately, Ireland lost Finn after she fouled out with six and a half minutes to go. They managed to take a 67-65 lead thanks to a fast break and layup by Maura Fitzpatirck, and it was level at 73-73 following a nerveless three by Enya Maguire, but Iceland proceeded to fend off the Irish challenge in the closing stretch to take the win.
Commenting on the encounter, Garlepp said: “The gravity of today was not lost on those players. That was a really important night for them, not just a game, and I think sometimes with that comes a little bit of extra anxiety, that want to knock things out of the park rather than sticking with the process.
“You’ve got to appreciate how much they care about playing for their country, that probably generates some of that, but I was proud of them nonetheless. I think we fought through some stuff, we learned some stuff, but just disappointing when you don’t win.”
Ireland captain Edel Thorton added: “Tom has given us all a lot of confidence and we just need to learn to play that way and together for longer is his mentality. We need to trust that and when we did that we were really good. So it’s just doing that for longer.
“We will get there. It’s just the first game in a totally different system. We’re flying, we are, we just weren’t good enough for longer stints, that’s all.”
Next up, Ireland travel to Azerbaijan, who lost 84-33 to Switzerland in their opening Group A fixture. Saturday's game in Baku tips off at 10 a.m. and will be broadcast live on TG4. The window concludes for Ireland with another away game against Switzerland on November 17.
Ireland: Aoibheann Donnelly (2), Hazel Finn (7), Ella O’Donnell (15), Michelle Clarke (0), Lucy Coogan (0), Sarah Hickey (25), Katie Williamson (0), Enya Maguire (12), Emer Dunne (DNP), Edel Thornton (6), Maura Fitzpatrick (4), Caitlin Gloeckner (2).
Iceland: Isabella Sigurdardottir (4), Helena Rafnsdottir (0), Thoranna Hodge-Carr (6), Dilja Larusdottir (8), Emma Theodorsson (5), Thelma Agustsdottir (2), Anna Svansdottir (0), Sara Hinriksdottir (14), Asta Grimsdottir (2), Rebekka Steingrimsdottir (18), Berglind Hlynsdottir (14), Kristrun Olafsdottir (8).