Salerno have won this year's All Ireland Schools Under 15 B Girls' Cup in dramatic fashion at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght.
Ellie Lydon was the toast of the school when she secured the game-winning basket as the final buzzer sounded just three seconds after the ball dropped through the net to ensure Salerno edged Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra of Kerry by 32-30.
In a closely-contested final, free throws from the impressive Danielle O’Leary for Scoil Phobail and one from Salerno's Aoife Bates saw the game tied at 30 apiece with just 38 seconds on the clock. A frantic rush for that game-winning basket ensued, and it was Lydon who was the hero of the hour when she rebounded in style to lay-up to the basket for the winning finish.
There had been nothing to separate both teams throughout the game. They were 4-4 each at the end of the first quarter, before Scoil Phobail took the lead at half-time by 12-16, with O’Leary dominant for the Kerry side and Lisa Blaney in form for Salerno.
Both sides upped the pace in the third quarter as Salerno closed the margin once more before Blaney pushed them in front by 23-22 at the end of the third. It remained neck-in-neck throughout the fourth before Lydon kept her cool to bag the game-winning shot.
JESUS AND MARY SS SALERNO (GALWAY ): Lisa Blaney, Ellie Lydon, Emma Dillon, Ailbhe Kennedy, Aoife Bates, Lucy Keady, Hannah King, Emma O’Sullivan, Aisling Saalman, Amy Claffey, Alison Gibbs. Top scorers: Lisa Blaney 12, Aisling Saalman 8, Ellie Lydon 3
