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Four Portlaoise Panthers Named In Ireland U-20 Women's Basketball Squad

Friday, 2 July 2021 14:55

By Robbie Fahy @RobbieFahy

They'll be part of the FIBA European Challenge squad in Hungary.

A sensational week for underage women's basketball in the midlands continues with the news that four Portlaoise Panthers have been named in the Ireland U-20 women's squad for FIBA U20 Women’s European Challengers 2021 in Hungary in July. 

Lisa Blaney, Jasmine Burke, Ciara Byrne and Sarah Fleming are selected on the final 12 person roster for the games. 

Ciara Byrne has also been selected as captain. It's an amazing achievement for the girls and superb recognition for the work being done in Portlaoise. 

Head coach Martin Conroy acknowledged the difficulty of bringing the squad down to 12 ahead of the FIBA European Challengers; 

“For our coaching staff, this was an unbelievably difficult decision to select a tournament 12 to represent Ireland in the FIBA U20 Women’s European Challengers tournament in Sopron, Hungary. That decision was made even more difficult by the fantastic group of players that have committed themselves to the programme over the past eight weeks. Their dedication and efforts are truly phenomenal and we, as a staff, appreciate this.”

“It’s exciting to move forward with these 12 players and we know that they will do our country proud when they play some of the best teams in Europe in ten days time. We have Spain, Hungary, Serbia, Czech Republic and Israel in our group, which is fantastic, and we look forward to pitting ourselves against these great teams in a tournament environment. An understatement would be to say it won’t be easy, but we’re confident that our players will be ready for the challenges we face.”

Ireland’s U20 women are playing Division A basketball, having secured promotion following a bronze medal at the 2019 FIBA U20 Women’s European Championship Division B in Pristina, Kosovo. They are in Group B at the FIBA U20 Women’s European Challengers 2021, it is a round robin tournament and Ireland start against hosts Hungary on Monday 12th. It’s followed by games against Israel (13th July), Spain (14th July), Serbia (16th July) and Czech Republic (17th July).

IRELAND U20 WOMEN'S SQUAD:

Lisa Blaney (Portlaoise Panthers), Jasmine Burke (Portlaoise Panthers), Ciara Byrne (Portlaoise Panthers), Lauren Darcy (Templeogue BC), Sarah Fleming (Portlaoise Panthers), Mia Furlong (Glanmire), Kate Hickey (Waterford Wildcats), Niamh Kenny (Trinity Meteors), Erin Maguire (Ulster University Tigers), Molly Moffitt (Seattle Prep), Eve Nealon (Shippensberg University), Abigail Rafferty (Ulster University Tigers)

First Name

Surname

D.O.B.

Age

Height

Team

Position

Lisa

Blaney

02/05/2002

19

5’10”

Portlaoise Panthers

Guard

Jasmine

Burke

02/03/2002

19

6’1”

Portlaoise Panthers

Centre

Ciara

Byrne (C)

26/07/2002

18

5’8”

Portlaoise Panthers

Point Guard

Lauren

Darcy

01/06/2001

19

5’3”

Griffith College Templeogue

Point Guard

Sarah

Fleming

06/02/2002

19

5’10”

Portlaoise Panthers

Guard

Mia

Furlong (VC)

21/12/2001

19

5’11”

Glanmire

Guard

Kate

Hickey

15/10/2002

18

5’11”

Waterford Wildcats

Guard/ Forward

Niamh

Kenny

28/04/2001

20

5’8”

Trinity Meteors

Forward

Erin

Maguire

16/12/2002

18

5’7”

Ulster University Tigers

Guard

Molly

Moffitt

02/03/2003

18

6’1”

Seattle Prep

Guard/ Forward

Eve

Nealon

25/06/2001

19

5’8”

Shippensberg University

Guard/ Forward

Abigail

Rafferty

28/05/2002

19

6’0”

Ulster University Tigers

Centre

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