Cavan Eagles continued their excellent debut season in the Women’s Super League with an assured and entertaining 87–76 victory over Catalyst Fr. Mathews on Saturday night in Cork. Sitting comfortably in sixth place, John Stephens’ side travelled south wary of a Mathews team whose league position didn’t reflect their competitiveness. The Cork outfit had pushed second-placed Killester to within seven points the previous week and were determined to make home advantage count. With Ciara Tolan and Ciara Brady both returning from injury, Stephens had a full panel to choose from — and his side delivered a performance packed with scoring power, grit and defensive discipline.
The hosts started brightly, with American Stacie Jones leading the charge early, while Grainne Dwyer caused problems inside and at the end of the first quarter, Fr Mathews held a well deserved lead of 25-15. But once the Eagles found their rhythm, their shooting from distance began to tell. A blistering second quarter, worth 28 points, swung the momentum decisively. Cavan moved the ball sharply and punished gaps from beyond the arc, finishing with 11 three-pointers compared to Mathews’ four. At the heart of it all was a simply majestic display from Sophie Staunton. The sharpshooter caught fire and stayed hot, draining nine three-pointers on her way to a game-high 33 points in one of the performances of the season. Eagles Captain Niamh Tolan led from the front with a season-best 24 points, attacking the rim and steadying the team whenever the hosts threatened a run, while American guard Soleil Barnes added 17 important points to keep the scoreboard ticking.
There was just as much impact at the defensive end. Mazzie Harris was her usual commanding self on the boards, climbing highest time and again to haul in 14 crucial rebounds, denying Mathews second chances. Katie O’Sullivan put in a tireless defensive shift to limit Fr. Mathews’ American Laila Blair to just 13 points, while Alex Mulligan played a pivotal role at both ends of the floor, contributing key plays in offence and defence when they mattered most. Mathews refused to back down. Jones impressed with 23 points and a double-double, while Dwyer added 18 in a determined display. Five lead changes and three ties underlined how competitive the contest was, but each time the gap narrowed, the Eagles responded with composure. In the closing minutes, their sharp shooting saw them pull clear to secure another valuable away win. The schedule doesn’t ease up for the Breffni side, with several crunch games looming that will shape their playoff destiny. Next up is a St. Valentine’s Day home clash in Virginia against Waterford Wildcats. The teams needed overtime to be separated before Christmas, and another thriller could be on the cards.
