Trinity Meteors Stun Top-Seeded Killester to Reach Playoff Final

Dublin—Trinity Meteors will play for the Domino’s Women’s Super League crown after toppling top-seeded Killester 89-86 in overtime at the IWA Sports Complex on Saturday night, a result that sends Séamas Donnelly’s side to the National Basketball Arena on April 12.

From the opening tip the visitors played like anything but underdogs. Aisling Moran’s ankle-breaking crossover and pull-up ignited a 7-2 burst that forced Killester into an early timeout, and when Ava Learn drilled back-to-back threes the Meteors’ lead ballooned to ten. The champions clawed their way back through relentless drives by Samantha Haiby and Audrey Roden, yet a buzzer-beating triple from Ciara Mulligan gave Trinity a 27-19 cushion after ten minutes.

The second quarter turned into a shoot-out. Kylie Horstmeyer, Helena Keane and Catherine Connaire punished Killester from the mid-range, while Haiby’s 14 first-half points kept the hosts within striking distance. A late flurry pushed Meteors ahead 48-40 at the interval.

Michelle Clarke opened the third with a baseline jumper, but Trinity countered through Horstmeyer’s back-door finish on a Finn assist. Bodies hit the floor as both teams traded free throws in a bruising frame, and Franciska Treiliha’s step-back jumper preserved an eight-point edge heading to the fourth.

Trinity appeared poised to pull away when Finn sliced through for a lay-up and Treiliha added a driving right-hander, yet Haiby poured in 11 of her game-high 29 in the final quarter. A Bagdanaviciene off-balance three trimmed the deficit to two, and when Meteors coughed up back-to-back turnovers the stage was set for Haiby to draw a foul with 10 seconds left. The American guard sank both free throws, knotting the score at 78 and forcing overtime.

In the extra frame Horstmeyer and Keane scored quick baskets, and Mulligan—re-inserted after sitting the closing minutes of regulation—banked in a jumper and iced two clutch free throws. Clarke’s late triple gave Killester hope, but the hosts’ final heave from distance fell short, sparking jubilant scenes among the Meteors bench.

Horstmeyer finished with 17 points to lead Trinity, Finn added 14 and Treiliha chipped in 11. Haiby’s 29 went for naught as Killester’s bid for a three-peat ended at the semi-final stage.

Trinity Meteors now meet UCC Glanmire in Sunday’s final at 1.15 pm, chasing the club’s first Super League title since 2018.