Killester won their sixth Pat Duffy National Cup title and first since 2019, defeating defending champions UCC Demons 92-75 in the final at the National Basketball Arena on Saturday.
Isiah Dasher picked up the MVP following a 31 point performance, but there were crucial contributions across the board, among them Kason Harrell with 16 points, Baptiste Chazelas with 12 points and 12 rebounds and Paul Dick, who shot 10 points and picked up nine rebounds.
This game was a close contest throughout, James Hannigan got the opening score from the three point line for UCC Demons and David Lehane’s spin and jump shot had them 7-2 up three minutes in. It was 7-7 each after Dick picked out Harrell in the corner, who slotted his three.
A fast break and layup from Dick and it was 16-9 to Killester with 3’10 to go, prompting a UCC Demons timout. Demons came out of the timeout with a pair of corner threes, by Kyle Hosford and Blake Murphy, either side of Andy McGeever’s three for Killester, to trail 19-15. In the closing stages of the quarter Issac Westbrooks, who turns 40 next month, landed a three, followed by a Harrell layup which saw Killester finish with a 26-18 first quarter lead.
A Tillman dunk and layup got UCC Demons off to the start they wanted to the second quarter to close the deficit, only for Harrell to drain a three pointer. Midway through the quarter a layup under the basket by Dick made it 38-29. Within a minute that deficit was cut to two, Kyle Hosford and Elijah Tillman baskets either side of James Hannigan’s three saw the Cork outfit trail 38-36. Killester opened up a six point lead, 45-39, with a minute to go following Chazelas’ score. A pair of David Lehane baskets left it at 45-41 at the break.
The teams were tied once more at 51-51 each after a pair of Patrick Robinson free throws two and a half minutes in. By the midpoint a Tobias Christensen layup put UCC Demons in front, 56-54. A Dasher fastbreak and layup with three minutes to go nudged Killester back ahead, 58-56, Dasher had 20 points at that stage. Blake Murphy had the last score of the quarter with a three, as Demons narrowed the deficit to just one, 63-62.
A Robinson layup had Demons 66-63 up 90 seconds into the fourth quarter, but moments later Andy McGeever downed his third from the three point line to bring it level once more.
Killester lost Paul Dick with 6’43 due to injury. But Killester extended their advantage to nine points, 79-70, after a three from Dasher midway through the quarter to bring his tally to 27 points. Dasher added four more after that and a Harrell two-point jump shot saw Killester move into a commanding 85-72 lead with 3’17” to go. Killester’s defence held UCC Demons at bay and a Westbrooks three with 36 seconds to go wrapped up a 92-75 victory.
MVP Isiah Dasher said: “We worked really hard every day in practice and these guys really deserve it. The older guys, Ciarán (Roe), Paul (Dick), this is Paul’s first one, Kason (Harrell) too - these guys deserve it. I’m happy I got the game ball but without them there’s no chance.”
Killester will now be seeking a unique double, with their women’s team competing in the Paudie O’Connor National Cup final against FloMAX Liffey Celtics on Sunday at 1730.
Quarter Scores:
Q1: 26-18, Q2: 19-23 Q3: 18-21, Q4: 29-13
Game Scores:
Q1: 26-18, Q2: 45-41, Q3: 63-62, Q4: 92-75
Killester:
Isaac Westbrooks (7), Andy McGeever (9), Patrick Sullivan (DNP), Isiah Dasher (31), Farouq Raheem (0), Ciaran Roe (7), Kaiwen Yang (DNP), Ethan McKean (DNP) Baptiste Chazelas (12), Paul Dick (10), Kason Harrell (16), Eoghain Kiernan (0).
UCC Demons:
Scott Hannigan (0), Blake Murphy (6), Tobias Christensen (5), Kyle Hosford (9), James Hannigan (17), David Lehane (9), Eimantas Spudulis (DNP), Patrick Robinson (16), Carleton Cuff (DNP), Cian Looney (DNP), Daryl Cuff (DNP), Elijah Tillman (13).
Limerick Celtics defeat ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers 72-60 to win first Presidents’ National Cup
A fourth quarter flourish helped Limerick Celtics defeat ND Portlaoise Panthers 72-60 and lift the Presidents’ National Cup for the first time.
These two sides came into the game at the National Basketball Arena with unbeaten seasons so far, Limerick 13-0 and ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers 12-0 in Men’s Division One. A tight contest was expected and that is how it unfolded, Limerick Celtics 17-15 ahead by the end of the first.
It was a similar pattern in the second quarter, Eric Anderson’s basket a minute into the second quarter put ND Portlaoise Panthers in front for the first time 19-17. The side’s exchanged leads, Limerick Celtics nudged themselves 30-29 in front following a dunk from Abdul Wurie with 3’35 left in second quarter. Celtics would hold a five point lead by the end of the quarter, 36-31.
A layup from AJ Williams made it 39-35 to Celtics just before the midpoint of the third quarter, he had 14 points at that stage on his way to claiming the MVP. Williams finished with 25 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
Philip Kearney nailed a lovely corner three to put Celtics 42-37 up with 4’21” to go in the quarter. But it was level at 42-42 following Aleksandar Kovacevic’s basket with three minutes to go. Limerick Celtics went back in front by five once more, 49-44, with 50 seconds remaining following another Williams score, only for Xabier Arriaga to claw it back at the finish, to leave it poised at 49-46 going into the final quarter.
Limerick Celtics opened a seven point lead at the start of the fourth quarter, 55-48, following Williams’ basket. But again that was reeled in, Anderson with a basket and two free throws to trail 55-52.
The gap was seven points, 59-52, following a steal and layup by Finn Hughes and a two point jump shot from the corner by Williams with less than six minutes to go. It was a 10 point gap, 62-52, when Hughes slotted from the three point line.
Portlaoise Panthers needed a response, Anderson hit a long range three to bring his tally to 25 points. That score was matched by Hughes, who was finding his range in the fourth quarter - scoring 10 of his 15 points in it – and Celtics led 67-55 with 2’16” to go and they weren’t to be caught.
Limerick Celtics head coach Tony Hehir said: “It means everything to us, we’re a young club, we’ve had so much development over the year with the younger players and it’s incredible to see them on this platform winning a National Cup today.”
He added, “In fairness to Portlaoise they really came back strong, and they are a great basketball team, but I thought our third and fourth quarter performance on defence probably won the game for us.”
Quarter Scores:
Q1: 13-21, Q2: 16-19 Q3: 15-13, Q4: 14-23
Game Scores:
Q1: 12-21, Q2: 31-36, Q3: 46-49, Q4: 60-72
Limerick Celtics:
Eoghan Donaghy (4) Ariyon Jamal Williams (25), Martin Frawley (DNP), Finn Hughes (15), Matthew Barry (DNP), Chima Obikwelu (12), Abdul Wurie (12), Philip Kearney (4), Sean Ryan (DNP), Vadjikiba Dosso (DNP), Cian Gleeson (0), Jordan Hehir (0).
ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers:
Cillian O’Connell (0), Dylan Dunne (DNP), James Phelan (6), Cormac Howson (DNP), Eric Anderson (25), Davin McEvoy (0), Kevin Donohoe (0), Gary Morrissey (5), Xabier Arriaga (12), Kyle Burke (DNP), Aleksandar Kovacevic (6), Liam Kinsella (6).
McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles win first Women’s Division One National Cup
with 86-68 win over iSecure Swords Thunder
McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles are the Women’s Division One National Cup champions, in just their third season at National League level. They defeated iSecure Swords Thunder 86-68 in the final at the National Basketball Arena on Saturday.
McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles, who are unbeaten in the Women’s Division One this season with a 9-0 record, took a 21-13 lead after the first quarter and never looked back. MVP Lanetta Williams notching up seven of her 28 points in the quarter. Williams would also have six rebounds and five assists in a fine all-round game.
A Rahema Henderson three stretched McEvoy Cavan Eagles’ lead to nine points, 26-17, with two minutes gone in the second quarter. iSecure Swords Thunder narrowed the gap to just four points, 31-27, midway through the quarter, helped by three’s from Peggy Black and Makayla Miller – Miller would finish with a team high 20 points.
Henderson’s second three and it was 38-27 to McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles with two and a half minutes to go in the quarter. The two sides exchanged threes in the final minute, Laura McFarland’s for McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles was cancelled out by Miller and the gap was 13 points by half-time, 47-34 to McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles.
Niamh Tolan’s layup as she fell to the ground had McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles 53-41 up four minutes into the third quarter. iSecure Swords Thunder kept themselves in contention thanks to two-point jump shots from Jasmine Walker and Miller, before a Walker three had them trail 59-51 with two minutes to go in the quarter. McEvoy Cavan Eagles would hold a 64-53 advantage by the end of the third quarter.
iSecure Swords Thunder needed to make early inroads in the final quarter, Walker’s two-point jump shot in the opening minute gave them the start they wanted. A three from Niamh Tolan in the second minute of the quarter saw her raise her arm in celebration, McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles 69-55 ahead. A step back corner three from Black, her fifth three, saw Thunder trail 76-63 midway through the quarter. McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles responded in kind, Ciara Tolan unloading from the three point line straight afterwards and they successfully closed out for the win.
Speaking afterwards Niamh Tolan said: “We’re delighted, we’ve been knocking on the door for a few seasons now, in our first season we lost to Portlaoise on a buzzer beater, and in our second season we lost to a very dominant Dublin Lions team, this year we were trying to break the “cup curse” and push on so we’re just delighted to get over the line.”
Asked about winning silverware with her siblings, Ciara and Emma, she added: “It’s very special, this is the first time the three of us have won something together. I’d say in 20 years’ time when we’re sitting down having dinner we’ll remember this very fondly. I’m so proud of them, Ciara is our role model, we looked up to her growing up and Emma has really matured and grown into the game. She has a very bright future ahead of her and I can’t wait to watch.”
Quarter Scores:
Q1: 13-21, Q2: 21-26 Q3: 19-17, Q4: 15-22
Game Scores:
Q1: 12-21, Q2: 34-47, Q3: 53-64, Q4: 68-86
iSecure Swords Thunder:
Megan Connolly (0), Zara Troy (DNP), Sixta Herzberger (DNP), Kate Kelly (0), Aoife O’Connell (0) Makayla Miller (20), Jasmine Walker (17), Megan Howe (2), Laura Fortune (8), Peggy Black (19), Tia Kelly Stevens (2), Zoe Egan (0).
McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles:
Rahmena Henderson (16), Niamh Tolan (11), Emma Tolan (7) Caitlin Carroll (0), Ciara Brady (2), Ciara Tolan (12), Casey Mulvey (7), Jane Larkin (DNP), Laura McFarland (3), Lanetta Williams (28).
Éanna win U18 Men’s Billy Coffey National Cup title
Éanna lifted the U18 Men’s Billy Coffey National Cup, following a 92-72 win over Titans at the National Basketball Arena on Saturday. Adam Charles picked up the MVP, he racked up 26 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and five turnovers for the winning side.
Titans made a blistering start to this contest, captain Luke Herring drained three from the three-point line, Eoin Potito and Alban Hart also scoring from long range. By the time Nathan Gbinigie’s dunked in the last minute the Galway outfit were 29-6 up. Eanna reduced the deficit to 29-10 with some joy from the free throw line.
Eanna, who overcame a 25-point deficit in their semi-final win over Limerick Lions, got the first points of the second quarter through Charles. Charles, who’d been kept scoreless in the first quarter, clicked into gear in the second, his basket and additional free throw saw the deficit cut to 10 points, 33-23, midway through the quarter - Charles contributing 10 of those points for the Dublin club at that stage he’d have 15 by the end of the quarter.
A long range three from Herrick made it 38-28 to Titans with three minutes to go. But six points from Sam O’Connell, a corner three and a pair of free throws from Charles had Éanna in front, 39-38. Gbinigie responded with another dunk in the last seconds of the quarter, Titans with the slenderest of leads at the break, 40-39.
Titans opened with back-to-back scores in the third quarter, through Herrick and Stephen Owede, to move 44-39 up. Eoin Potito went on an eight-point run, including two three’s, which had Titans 54-47 up four minutes in. Eanna retook the lead, 58-54, with a little over three minutes to go, helped by a nice three by Ryan Bell from the top of the arc and an Adam McCarthy layup. A three from Charles to beat the end of quarter buzzer made it 63-58 to Éanna going into the final quarter – Charles’ tally now at 22 points.
Momentum appeared to be with Éanna, Charles dunk in the opening minute demonstrating this and they were ahead by eleven points, 69-58, two minutes into the fourth after another basket by O’Connell. A much-needed two point jump shot from Liam Smyth got Titans back on the scoresheet., it was 69-60 with six and a half minutes to go.
A corner three from Harry Lynch put Éanna 74-62 to the good with four and a half minutes to go – Lynch would finish with 25 points and six rebounds. Another three from Lynch with a little over two minutes to go was met with a big cheer from the Éanna fans, their advantage now 82-66. But Titans kept plugging away, Potito’s layup and trailed 82-70 with a minute and a half to go, but they couldn’t overhaul the deficit.
Game MVP Adam Charles said: “We looked back at what went wrong in the other (semi-final) game and we were very sure that, you know, that wouldn't happen again. And when it happened again we were all kicking ourselves, but we knew how to get back in the game. We'd done it before, we did it last week.”
Quarter Scores:
Q1: 10-29, Q2: 29-11 Q3: 24-18, Q4: 29-14
Game Scores:
Q1: 10-29, Q2: 39-40, Q3: 63-58, Q4: 92-72
Titans BC:
Rioghan Claus (DNP), Sam Herrick (0), Eoin Potito (17), Alban Hart (5), Stephen Owede (16), Conor McDonagh (DNP), Ruairi Walsh (DNP), Liam Smyth (2), Valentino Edobor (0), Nathan Gbinigie (14), Noah Mungoma-Webb (2).
Éanna BC:
Adam McCarthy (13), Bruno Domingos (2), Danny Hamill (DNP), Adam Charles (26), Conor Chambers (2), Aodhan O’Neill (DNP), Ryan Bell (9), Patrick Walsh (2) Sam O’Connell (13), Harry Lynch (25), Noah Dodson (0).