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Double delight for St Paul's basketball under 12 girls' team

By Eamon Keogh

THE St. Pauls Killarney U-12 girls basketball team have created a significant bit of history after being crowned champions in both the Cork and Kerry 'A' leagues this season. The Killarney girls clinched the Kerry title in recent months and there was further good news this week when the Cork Ladies Basketball County Board decided to award league titles to the teams who were on top of their respective league tables.
This is the first time in history a St. Pauls juvenile team has won the Cork league which makes it even more special for this young team, who have to ability to progress even further in the years ahead.
The St. Paul's girls started off their campaign in the Kerry county league division one with wins over tough opposition such as Tralee Imperials, St. Mary's Castleisland and Glenbeigh Flacons. They were crowned Kerry champions after some soild performances in the league and also secured the Kerry Cup title against a strong Tralee Imperials team.
It was an extremely busy season for the young Killarney girls and the decision to participate in the Cork league also reaped rewards. The team enjoyed some really exciting games against some top teams from the Rebel county and a lot of the away games were played in the iconic Parochial Hall, Cork. St. Paul's registered significant victories over Carrigaline, Cobh, Glanmire, Waterford Wildcats and Limerick Celtics . They also played out a thrilling encounter against Mallow in Kilcummin Hall with the Killarney side eventually claiming the win after two periods of overtime. The St. Paul's girls had also been looking forward to a tournament in London during Easter but unfortunately this was cancelled due the Covid-19 crisis.
Coached by Padraig Weldon, it certainly turned out to be a memorable season with the unique double success for this young St. Paul's team . “The Last Dance” featuring NBA legend Michael Jordan is the global basketball story of the year but for this talented St. Pauls U-12 girls team, it is a season that may well be remembered as “The First Dance” in years to come if they continue to progress and deliver on their true potential.