Maigh Cuilinn Falter in Tough Road Loss to Limerick Celtics

Final Score: Limerick Celtics 84–70 Maigh Cuilinn

Maigh Cuilinn suffered their first defeat of the Basketball Ireland National League season on Saturday night, falling 84–70 to a strong Limerick Celtics side at Crescent College. Despite a promising second-quarter comeback, Paul O’Brien’s men struggled to contain the Celtics’ dynamic offense, led by standout guard Ariyon Jamal Williams, who put up an impressive 30 points.

Limerick Celtics took control early, using their athleticism and energy to jump out to a 25–15 lead by the end of the first quarter. Maigh Cuilinn’s early offensive struggles, particularly their inability to get high-percentage looks close to the basket, allowed the home side to dominate the opening exchanges. Celtics’ size advantage, particularly in the form of their big men Finn Hughes and Abdul White, posed problems for Maigh Cuilinn from the outset. The duo combined for 36 points, providing a constant inside threat that Maigh Cuilinn found difficult to handle.

However, Maigh Cuilinn found their rhythm in the second quarter. A more disciplined defensive effort, combined with improved ball movement, helped them claw back into the game. Captain Grant Olsson and Ivan Basic led the charge offensively, each finding some key scores. By halftime, Maigh Cuilinn had flipped the script, taking a narrow 37–35 lead into the break.

Unfortunately for the visitors, the third quarter proved decisive. Limerick Celtics upped their defensive intensity, suffocating Maigh Cuilinn’s offense and forcing them into tough shot attempts. The size and physicality of the Celtics made it difficult for Maigh Cuilinn to generate clean looks inside the three-point line. The home side, buoyed by their defensive stops, used their athleticism to generate transition opportunities, outscoring Maigh Cuilinn 26–13 in the quarter to take a commanding 61–50 lead heading into the final period.

Despite some determined efforts from Maigh Cuilinn in the fourth quarter, the Celtics maintained their advantage, with Williams and Hughes continuing to inflict damage on the scoreboard. Maigh Cuilinn had no answer for the guard-forward combination, and the gap proved too much to overcome.

After the game, head coach Paul O’Brien was frank in his assessment: “That was not a good performance from us and we need to play better plain and simple. That said, Limerick Celtics played some excellent defense and deserve credit. Their size and athleticism caused us real problems, and ultimately we weren’t good enough on the night to get enough high-quality shot attempts.”

For Maigh Cuilinn, Olsson finished as the top scorer with 19 points, followed closely by Basic, who added 18. Veteran Dylan Cunningham chipped in with 8 points, while emerging young talent Liam Moloney contributed 6 points.

Maigh Cuilinn will now regroup and prepare for their next test at home, where they will host Killarney Cougars on October 19th at Spórtlann Mhichael Mhóir, Leitir Móir.

Maigh Cuilinn Scorers: Grant Olsson 19, Ivan Basic: 18, Dylan Cunningham 8, Liam Moloney 6, James Loughnane 5, Rhys Plower 4, Antonio Molina 4, Aitor Perez 4, John Hynes 2, Rory O’Sullivan, Donagh McDonagh, Max Brennan

Categories: News