Maigh Cuilinn 82 (44)

Limerick Sport Eagles 75 (41)

Maigh Cuilinn made a triumphant return to the Basketball Ireland National League with a well deserved 82–75 victory over Limerick Sport Eagles at the University of Galway Sports Arena. After a successful 2014/2015 campaign that saw them crowned National League champions, Maigh Cuilinn had spent the last several years competing in the Superleague, only to be narrowly relegated at the end of last season.

The atmosphere before tip-off was suitably expectant as Maigh Cuilinn supporters welcomed the return of National League basketball to Galway after a long off-season. New head coach Paul O’Brien, a former Maigh Cuilinn player and head coach of the University of Galway Mystics, was making his debut on the sidelines, and everyone was eager to see his influence on the team. Despite this support, Maigh Cuilinn had a shaky start to the game. Their offense faltered early, with several missed three-point attempts, allowing Limerick Sport Eagles to jump out to a 26–19 lead by the end of the first quarter, led by the impressive Nach Fulguenias who dictated play with some accurate long range shooting and deft passing.

Maigh Cuilinn settled into their rhythm in the second quarter. Aitor Perez and returning local legend James Loughnane were particularly influential and helped turn the tide in Maigh Cuilinn’s favour. Their defensive intensity picked up as well, but Limerick’s American star Alex Carlisle kept the Eagles in the game with difficult baskets from the mid-range. By halftime, Maigh Cuilinn had pulled ahead however, leading 44–41.

The third quarter was a back-and-forth battle, with neither team able to take full control. Maigh Cuilinn’s youngsters, Liam Moloney and Eoin Cleary, shone on the defensive end, making key stops and pressuring Limerick’s offense. Their contributions helped maintain Maigh Cuilinn’s lead, which stood at 59–52 by the end of the quarter. The home crowd, sensing victory, grew increasingly into the contest, directed by the boisterous U10 girls Maigh Cuilinn team that brought out the pom poms to co-ordinate the cheering.

In the final quarter, the game hung in the balance as Limerick Sport Eagles made a late push to close the gap. A long-armed 1-3-1 zone defence caused Maigh Cuilinn some problems while the visitors also hit a number of really difficult long range shots which briefly looked liked getting them a come from behind road win. However, Maigh Cuilinn held their nerve in the critical moments, spurred on by their largest home crowd in many years. Captain Grant Olsson stepped up in the clutch, delivering big baskets to keep the Eagles at bay. His composure at the free-throw line, sinking the clinching shots in the final minute, ensured Maigh Cuilinn would start the season with a well-earned 82–75 win.

Most pleasing for Maigh Cuilinn will be the big role played by home grown youngsters with the aforementioned Cleary and Moloney showing well alongside Rory O’Sullivan who started a senior men’s game for the first time in his young career while there was a debut appearance for John Hynes.

Maigh Cuilinn head coach Paul O’Brien reflected on the team’s performance, saying, “we played really well. We got a lot of open shots in the first half that unfortunately didn’t fall—I think we were 4 for 21—but we were really happy with a lot of those looks.”

Speaking about the final tense few minutes where Maigh Cuilinn held their nerves, coach O’Brien was thankful for his veterans, saying “Eagles played a 1-3-1, which we hadn’t practiced against, so we did a poor job actually getting the ball to where we wanted to get it to. But luckily, we have some really good players who made some big shots down the stretch”.

With this victory, Maigh Cuilinn have set the tone for their National League campaign. Next, they travel to face Limerick Celtics on 12 October 2024 at Crescent College, with tip-off at 7:00 PM, before hosting Killarney Cougars on 19 October 2024 at Spórtlann Mhichael Mhóir, Leitir Móir, with tip-off at 5:00 PM.

Final Score: Maigh Cuilinn 82 – 75 Limerick Sport Eagles

Maigh Cuilinn scorers: Aitor Perez Muinoz 22, Ivan Basic 18, Grant Olsson 17, Antonio Molina 10, Rory O’Sullivan 5, James Loughnane 5, Eoin Cleary 2, Dylan Cunningham 2, Liam Moloney 1, John Hynes, Donagh McDonagh, Rhys Plower

Categories: News