Ireland suffered an 81-73 defeat to Iceland at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght on Wednesday, marking a frustrating start to their FIBA Women’s EuroBasket 2029 pre-qualifying campaign.
The result leaves the team facing an immediate uphill battle in a four-team group where only the top-ranked nation advances to the next round.
The contest remained tight throughout, with the lead changing hands 10 times, according to the Irish Independent. Despite the final score, Ireland were level at 73-73 with just two and a half minutes remaining, the Irish Examiner reported. A late surge from the visitors, punctuated by a decisive three-pointer from Kristrun Olafsdottir, ultimately swung the game in Iceland’s favor.
“From the three point line it was what it was, I think we will learn from the close range misses that we had,” head coach Thomas Garlepp told the Irish Examiner.
This game served as the first outing for Garlepp, the Australian coach who arrived in Ireland only days before the tip-off. His youthful squad was missing key personnel, including six-foot-three forward Claire Melia, who opted out of this international window, the Irish Independent noted.
Sarah Hickey led the Irish effort with 25 points and 14 rebounds. The Irish Examiner highlighted that Ella O’Donnell added 15 points on her EuroBasket debut, while Aoibheann Donnelly, Lucy Coogan, and Katie Williamson earned their first senior international caps.
The game was characterized by a strict application of rules by the officials, leading to significant foul trouble for both sides. Hazel Finn, a top scorer in the previous campaign, was forced to the sidelines after fouling out midway through the final quarter, and Maura Fitzpatrick was later disqualified following a video review, as reported by the Irish Independent.
According to RTÉ.ie, the momentum shifted during a "nightmare 90 second spell" in the third quarter where Iceland capitalized on Irish turnovers to build a lead. While the home side managed to pull the game back to 73-73, they could not sustain the defensive pressure required to stop the Icelandic finish.
Ireland must now prepare for a challenging road trip to Baku to face Azerbaijan this Saturday. The schedule remains demanding, with a subsequent away fixture against Switzerland set for next Tuesday.
Why is this group stage critical for Ireland?
Only the best-ranked country in the four-team group advances to the second round of the Women’s EuroBasket 2029 pre-qualifiers, according to Basketball Ireland.
Rebekka Steingrimsdottir led Iceland with 18 points, while Sara Hinriksdottir and Berglind Hlynsdottir contributed 14 points each, the Irish Examiner reported.
When did Ireland last play Iceland before their November 2026 EuroBasket pre-qualifier? The two nations last met in 2009, when Iceland secured a 77-68 victory, Basketball Ireland noted.