Ireland Masters extended squads announced ahead of FIMBA European Championships

The Basketball Ireland Masters squads have been announced for a busy summer programme of activity, following successful trial days in Belfast, Cork and Dublin. 

Seven teams will take part in the FIMBA Maxiball European Championship in Pesaro, Italy over ten days from June 20th in categories from O40 to O65 men's and women's. The competition features more than 165 teams from around the world, with this being the largest contingent of players that the Basketball Ireland Masters programme has sent to compete. 

You can find the full schedule for the competition here.

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O40 Women

Head coach Glenn Millar has selected a 22-person squad to compete against 11 teams in their category from Poland, Germany, Great Britain, Latvia, Italy, Estonia, Slovenia, Austria and Lithuania. 

"I am delighted with the squad we have chosen going forward," said Millar. There is a wide selection of players from all around the country with no less than 15 clubs being represented, with Portlaoise Panthers having the lions share with 5 players and Dublin Raiders and Fr. Mathews each having 2 players. I look forward to working with this group of talented players, we have a lot of work ahead of us before the European Championships, but I am sure these players are willing to put in the effort."

Ireland O40 Women's Squad:

Agnieszka Lukasiewicz (Fr. Mathews), Amanda O’Regan (Fr. Mathews), Attracta Phelan (Portlaoise Panthers), Carrie Moyles (Dunshaughlin), Catherine Ashe (Portlaoise Panthers), Cathy Mulhare (Portlaoise Panthers), Claire Walsh (Dub Raiders), Colette Vance (Drumlish Dragons), Deirdre Tomlinson (Portlaoise Panthers), Georgina Ni Hasa (Clare Galway), Grainne Tomlinson (Portlaoise Panthers), Irene Wallace (Tullamore), Marie-Louise Candon (United Woluwe), Mary Gardiner (Singleton Supervalue Hollyhill), Molly Costello (Malahide B.C.), Nuala Carey (Bantry), Roisin Gao (Maol Og), Roisin Tobin (Tipperary Knights), Sinead Fagan (Aer Lingus), Teresa O’Sullivan (Dub Raiders), Treasa Howell (Tullamore), Trish Kelly (Western Seahawks).

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O40 Men

Head Coach Kieran Leahy has selected a 19-person squad ahead of the FIMBA European Championships from more than 50 participants at the trial days across the island. The Ireland O40 Men will compete alongside 10 teams from Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Slovenia, Estonia and Austria in June. 

"Players from all corners of the country have been chosen to move forwards. Within those 19 players are 5 players who competed in the Over 40s National cup finals last April, representing Neptune Basketball Club and the Brothers Near and Far (BNAF) Masters teams.

I’m looking forward to working with this group of talented and experienced players and preparing them for the forthcoming championships. We will make sure the team is well prepared and ready to wear the Irish jersey.

All the squad have a high-level background in basketball behind them and will go on to represent their country proudly. Several players on the Squad have been capped by Ireland at underage and senior levels whilst most of the squad have also competed and played at the super league or national league level.

I hope those players who have missed out on this occasion will continue to compete in the masters' leagues, cups and tournaments around the country and come back again and try next year for the next FIMBA European Championships."

Ireland O40 Men's Squad:  

Cedric Assambo (Trinity College BC), Michael Barry (Paisley BC, Scotland), Vytautas Bronislovaitis (Glasnevin), James Butler (Team JB's) Tommy Costello (Glasnevin), Glenn Caufield (UCD Marian), Dan Deboss (Cavan Eagles), Mark Dempsey (Dublin Lions), Ian Durham (Glasnevin), John Ennis (Glasnevin), Fu Faapito (Dundalk Ravens), Martas kraniauskas (Portlaoise Panthers), Eoin McDonagh (East Galway Celtics), Michael McGinn (Neptune), Marc O'Brien (Unattached), Brian O'Neill (Neptune), Gonzalo Silva Vera (Barrow Rovers), JOhn Stephens (Cavan Eagles), Marcus Walley (Neptune/North Sydney Bears)

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O50 Women

Ireland O50 Women's head coach Jay Fazande is able to include Basketball Ireland Hall of Fame player Karen Hennessey in his squad of 17 players following trial sessions.

Of his squad, 10 have played international basketball during their career. Fazande will lead his charges against 12 teams from Italy, Great Britain, Spain, Brazil, Peru, Germany, Hungary and Slovakia. 

"While most of the players are Dublin based (8 players),"  said Fazande. "We have a good spread of players from other counties including Clare (1), Cork (1), Galway (1), Kildare (1), Laois (1), Limerick (1), Longford (1), Louth (1) and one player is based in Glasgow. I am looking forward to working with all the players and to a successful FIMBA European Championship in June."

Ireland O50 Women's Squad:

Breda Cassidy (Naas), Caitriona O’Gorman (Pegasus), Claire Foyle (Portlaoise Panthers), Colette Boylan (Glasnevin), Fidelma Farrell (Clare Crusaders), Geraldine O’Flynn (Glasgow Fever), Karen Hannigan Collins (Glasnevin), Karen Hennessey (Meteors), Karen Staunton (Oblates), Liz Nolan (Pegasus), Mags Mulhall (Bantry), Maria Flynn (Maol Og), Mary Grealish (Titans), Michelle Mulvey (Drumlish Dragons), Orlaith Boylan (Glasnevin), Siobhan Byrne (Drogheda Wolves) and Ursula Kyne Fahy (Springfield BC).

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O50 Men

Martin Conroy has chosen to go with a 19-man squad in the O50 men's category, where Ireland will come up against 18 teams from Italy, Great Britain, Spain, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Serbia, Switzerland and Poland.

"I’m excited with the squad we have  chosen  going  forward.  We have an  experienced selection of players from all parts of Ireland. A selection from 13 clubs nationwide will be heading into the  next training  session, with the  hope  of  making it to the final-12  squad. I look forward to working with all of our 19 talented players ahead of the FIMBA European Championships in 2024."

Ireland O50 Men's Squad: 

Scott Summersgill (Glasnevin BC) , Mike  Murray  (Claregalway ), Noel O’ Hara (Carlow Rock ), David  Mc Andrew (Claregalway) , Lawrence Patrick  (UCD) , Greg Dunne  ( Portlaoise Panthers), Andrew Bevan (Fr Mathews ), Jason O'Callaghan (Neptune ), Conor Layden (Glasnevin BC) , Bobby Temple (Glasnevin BC ), Nollaig  Cunningham (Maigh Cuilinn), Richard Ownes (Malahide), Alan  Fearon (UCD Marian ), Eugene Walsh (Portlaoise Panthers ), Kieron O'Sullivan (Ballincollig), Rich  Leonard (St  Brendan’s), Nicholas  Carolan (Galway), Gavin Young, Aoghan Courtney (Club Amber Kilkenny)

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O60 Women

Ireland O60s women’s head coach Mike Lydon has named his 13-person squad ahead of the FIMBA European Championship in June. 

"The squad we have chosen includes players who have been the leading lights of Irish Women’s and Masters Basketball over the years. A lot of our squad were bronze medal winners in Malaga 2022 and this experience, along with a strengthened squad, will hopefully allow us to build on this success."

Ireland O60 Women's Squad:

Berni Lillis Kenny (unattached), Carol Chubb (Glasnevin Ladies), Fidelma Bonass (Glasnevin Ladies), Mary O’Leary (Wexford Blazers), Maureen Gannon McDermott (Glasnevin Ladies), Orla Curran (Glasnevin Ladies), Patricia O’Connor (Pegasus), Paula Ryan-Kavanagh (Glasnevin Ladies), Regina Bermingham (Glasnevin Ladies), Ros McGuinness (Wexford Blazers), Suzanne Lakes (Glasnevin Ladies), Therese Traynor (Aer Lingus), Trinie Kennedy (unattached).

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O60 Men

Ireland O60 Men's head coach Niall McDermott has chosen a squad of 11 players to travel to the FIMBA European Championships this summer. His selection includes no two players from the same club.

McDermott's men are in their category along with 23 teams from Australia, Serbia, Greece, Austria, Germany, Italy, Great Britain, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, Switzerland, Estonia, Spain, Slovenia and Croatia. 

"I am looking forward to working with this talented group of players who have demonstrated their willingness to put in the hard work and training to achieve a successful championship. We have a well-balanced squad and a good mix of players who have previous FIMBA experience. The standard of competition will be very high, and we will continue to work hard over the next few months to ensure we can perform at our best when we reach Italy.”

Ireland O60 Men's Squad:

Neil Curran (Nomads, Dublin), Kevin Gannon (Galway), Todd Gfeller (North Star, Derry), Paul Grealy (Cavan Eagles), Paul Kenny (Tolka Rovers, Dublin), Aidan McGahan (Tyrone Towers), Edward C. Randolph (Dublin Raiders), Jim Walsh (Eagles, Kildare), Harry Walsh (Corrib, Galway), Jerome Westbrooks (Killester, Dublin), John (Sean) Wynne (Queens, Belfast).

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FULL SQUAD BREAKDOWN