Portlaoise Panthers star selected for Ireland under 16 Basketball panel

A young Portlaoise Panthers star has made the cut for Ireland's under 16 women's Basketball squad ahead of the Home Nations in Scotland in May. The tournament takes place in Dundee from May 6th-8th and will see Ireland take on Scotland, England and Wales.

Included in the 16 women panel is Shannon Quigley, a key forward for the Panthers and this is the latest acknowledgment of her talent.

There are four players each from Liffey Celtics and Meteors chosen in the squad. The Liffey Celtics contingent is Kelly Bracken, Ciara Brogan, Ciara Boyce and Shauna Curran. The four Meteors players selected are Freya Blennerhassett, Helena Keane, Aisling Moran and Grace Prenter. Curran, Moran and Fr. Mathews point guard Rachel Bowdren are the only three players in the squad who’ve been previously capped, the trio played five times at last summer’s FIBA U16 Women’s European Challengers in Slovakia.

Poland-based Karolina Gierszal is included, the 15-year-old point guard who plays for MUK Bydgoszcz, was born in Ireland. The other players selected are guards Leah McMahon (St Paul’s), Emma Tolan (East Cavan Eagles) and Ava Walshe (Douglas Panthers), along with forwards Shannon Quigley (Portlaoise Panthers), Nina Stijacic (Limerick Celtics) and Caoimhe Gilligan (Dublin Lions).

Head coach Andy Gill said: “It is never an easy time when selection comes around, but is a necessary part of the process. I would like to commend all the players in this new squad and those not selected on their fantastic attitude, work rate and coachability. We will be preparing in earnest, over the next six weeks, for a Home Nations tournament in Scotland, where these players will be truly tested and final selection will be made.”

Ireland’s U16 women will be competing in the FIBA U16 European Championships in Sarajevo, Bosnia from August 19th-27th.

Ireland U16 Women’s Squad 

Freya Blennerhassett (Meteors), Kelly Bracken (Liffey Celtics), Ciara Brogan (Liffey Celtics), Ciara Boyce (Liffey Celtics), Rachel Bowdren (Fr. Mathews), Shauna Curran (Liffey Celtics), Karolina Gierszal (MUK Bydgoszcz), Caoimhe Gilligan (Dublin Lions), Helena Keane (Meteors), Leah McMahon (St. Paul’s), Aisling Moran (Meteors), Grace Prenter (Meteors), Shannon Quigley (Portlaoise Panthers), Nina Stijacic (Limerick Celtics), Emma Tolan (East Cavan Eagles), Ava Walshe (Douglas Panthers). 

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