The names abounded as the memories dashed back in an instant. Jayne Flanagan, Tara Burke, Lorraine Grogan, Ann Brady…they all tripped off the tongue as the golden age of basketball was recognised thanks to one of Ireland’s foremost financial solutions firms, Fairstone.
Drogheda and District Chamber’s ‘Sporting Heroes’ awards recognise people who have made a difference – and Martina Cluskey made a difference.
For 40 years, she devoted herself to basketball, from Irish underage honours, to teams like Mosney, Sparks and today, the Wolves.
League titles came and went in those years until just a few weeks ago. In one of her final games, she landed a late, late three pointer to send a derby with the Warriors to overtime, before Drogheda Wolves snatched it. No better time to walk from the court.
Martina had been a promising runner with Crusaders AC and knew nothing about basketball, before a lunchtime friendly game in Greenhills saw Ms Buckley step in, recognise her talent and immediately promote her to the school team. The rest was history.
“We all ate, slept and drank basketball in Drogheda. There was nothing else,” she states. “I was committed to it and met some incredible people along the way.”
She cites Jayne Flanagan and Caroline Mullen as two of the best she went to war with and hopes in the years to come, others will step forward and drive Drogheda back to the very top in the women’s game.
She hopes to keep up her coaching duties and remain in the game that has given her so many great moments.
“Martina Cluskey epitomises what heroes are, people who have dedicated their lives to their sport, created memories and helped carve Drogheda’s place in basketball folklore,” chamber CEO, Hubert Murphy, stated.
Our thanks to Francis McTaggart and the Fairstone Ireland team for backing these awards.