This article is from page 89 of the 2008-10-21 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 89 JPG
AS IT prepares to celebrate its 10th birthday next year, a basketball club in Shannon is planning to expand and attract new members.
Phoenix Shannon basketball club was set up in 1999 by local ladies Carmel Howard, Karen O’Callaghan and Bella Boyle and has participat- ed in the Limerick league, over the years.
It was narrowly pipped for over- all league honours last year, but its members are hopeful that silverware will be won this year.
PRO Majella Lillis said the club has enjoyed phenomenal success, but the ultimate aim is league honours.
“We were beaten in the play-offs
the last two years. Mary Immaculate College, Limerick beat us last year and University of Limerick were the victors the previous year. The aim 1s to win this year. We were just pipped last year in the play-offs. It went down to points,” she said.
The first match of the season, two weeks ago, saw Phoenix defeat St Colm’s Saints, also from Shannon. Tonight they will play University of Limerick, away, and are hopeful of Panne
“It will be a massive game for us, as the league has been between Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick and ourselves over the past couple of years,” she said.
A lot has changed since the club was initially set up and hopes are
high that it will continue to make good progress.
“When the club started off origi- nally in 1999, the players were from Shannon. Now, we have players trav- elling from Ennis to Shannon,’ she PALO
To cater for the Ennis players, the training 1s split into two locations – St Flannan’s College, Ennis and St Caimin’’s in Shannon.
“This year, it is the same group of players that have been there for the past few years,” she said.
“Up until recently our club had been the only basketball club representing Clare in the Limerick League. Last year the club played 14 games. We won 12 and only lost two. This is a fantastic record by any standards,”
she added.
There is a close-knit aspect to the club – which is sponsored by Maid- enform – as the girls who play also run the club. Mike Hickey, who trains the girls, is also the chairman; Karen Moclair and Grainne Lynch are the treasurers, while Majella is the PRO.
New members and_ supporters should contact Mike Hickey on (086) 6030250.