Lynn Tunnah has warned people not to be surprised if Griffith College Templeogue upset NUIG Mystics in the Women’s Division 1 Cup National Cup final this weekend.
In just their second year competing at a national level, the Dublin outfit have reached a prestigious decider where they face a talented Galway side at the National Basketball Arena on Sunday.
The Mark Byrne coached relatively new to the National League side edged out Swords Thunder on a score-line of 63-58 in the semis to reach their first final ahead of schedule – and they go into the decider as underdogs against a side who eased past Limerick Sport Huskies 70-54 in their final four match up.
However, team captain Tunnah isn’t surprised she and her teammates are final bound and won’t be surprised if they go one step further and lift silverware this weekend.
“I don’t think reaching the final] has come as a surprise,” a player Byrne heralds as the ‘most dedicated in Irish basketball’ said.
“When we play like we know we can play we are quite a strong team. We have great personnel on the team and lots of players with different attributes, so it’s not a surprise.
“We have aimed to do well in the National League and then hopefully get into the Super League.
“Super League would have been the long-term plan more than just getting to the top of National League,” she adds before admitting reaching the decider is great for the club.
“It’s amazing because we’ve only had one year of experience in National League, then Covid hit, so this has been a second real year playing.
“I’ve been with Templeogue from the start and we were always aiming to have a women’s team [in National competition], we never had one before, so to get to this level is huge for the club.”
Reaching the final may be massive but winning it is not a mammoth task indicates the captain.
Tunnah admits the NUIG side are quality but has faith in the ability of Griffith College Templeogue to defeat anyone on their day.
“We lost to them in the league but we know ourselves the last quarter and a bit we threw it away, silly decisions and things like that,”
“We have a good scouting report on them and we will make decisions on what we will do on their plays.
“They do have good Irish players so hopefully we will be able to match up to that.”
Coach Byrne also had no issue in pointing out Mystics have a quality stacked roster but says his players main focus has to be on what they are capable of rather than the ability of their final opponents.
“They have only lost once all season. They play at a high pace and they have lots of athletism throughout their team.
“We are going to have to combat that and maybe try slow them down as best we can. But we are going well ourselves and it’s about playing to our strenghts as much as worrying about Galway.
“I think if we can come out and play to the best of our ability we can give anyone in the National League a game.”
Caption: Lynn Tunnah of Griffith College Templeogue in action against Bethany Thompson of Swords Thunder during the Women’s
Division 1 National Cup semi-final at Parochial Hall in Cork.
Photo: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
- SOS protest re polluted waters
- Food basket report reveals continuing pressure on family budgets
- Pádraig Harrington announces Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind’s Nationwide Golf Challenge
- Diesel and petrol prices already on the rise
- Mother & Baby campaigner Tony Kelly laid to rest
