Maigh Cuilinn 110
Waterford Vikings 81
Leitir Móir

On a night when much of Ireland was fixated on election counts, Maigh Cuilinn delivered a decisive statement on the court, defeating the Waterford Vikings 110-81 in Leitir Móir. It was a game full of drama, highlighted by an extraordinary shooting display from the home side and punctuated by a series of unusual events in the fourth quarter.

The match also marked the return of Maigh Cuilinn’s hometown star Patrick Lyons, who had been absent this season to date. While Lyons’ night ended prematurely with a suspected broken nose, his presence gave everyone an additional lift.

Maigh Cuilinn set the tone early with a dominant defensive effort in the first quarter, holding the visitors to just 13 points while building a 20-13 lead. Dylan Cunningham and Grant Olsson combined for 12 of Maigh Cuilinn’s points, while Aitor Perez almost brought the house down with an audacious full-court buzzer-beater. Unfortunately, the spectacular effort was ruled out for being a split-second late.

The second quarter showcased Maigh Cuilinn’s offensive depth. With all 12 players in the game-day squad seeing action and contributing meaningfully, the home side appeared poised to pull away. Back-to-back-to-back three-pointers from Donagh McDonagh, Olsson, and Liam Moloney stretched their lead to 35-19, but the Vikings showed resilience. Waterford’s Aaron Jackson and Jay Kavanagh steadied their team with timely scores, cutting the deficit to 46-35 by halftime.

After a season plagued by third-quarter struggles, Maigh Cuilinn flipped the script in spectacular fashion. Aitor Perez caught fire, scoring 18 points in the period, including an astonishing run of four consecutive three-pointers. The Vikings had no answer for his hot hand, and Maigh Cuilinn surged to a commanding 74-51 lead. However, the joy of the quarter was tempered by the loss of Lyons, who departed with his nose injury, requiring a trip to Galway University Hospital’s Emergency Department.

The final quarter was marked by chaos and excitement in equal measure. Condensation on the court led to a 15-minute suspension of play, and Waterford head coach Dean Kavanagh was ejected following a pair of technical fouls for dissent. Amidst these disruptions, both teams engaged in a three-point shootout that saw Maigh Cuilinn hit six triples and Waterford respond with five of their own. Despite the Vikings briefly cutting the lead to 12 points midway through the quarter, Maigh Cuilinn’s firepower proved insurmountable.

By the final whistle, 10 different Maigh Cuilinn players had connected from beyond the arc, contributing to a remarkable team total of 18 made three-pointers. Perez led all scorers with 28 points, ably supported by Antonio Molina with 24.

The victory moves Maigh Cuilinn to a 4-5 record, keeping them firmly in the playoff hunt. It was a display of focus, teamwork, and adaptability, with head coach Paul O’Brien surely encouraged by the contributions of his entire squad.

Next up for Maigh Cuilinn is a weekend off before a critical home game against Ulster University in Knocknacarra (Cappagh Community Centre) on 14 December. With the playoff race tightening, momentum from this emphatic victory could prove invaluable.

Maigh Cuilinn Scorers:
Aitor Perez 28, Antonio Molina 24, Grant Olsson 12, James Loughnane 10, Rory O’Sullivan 9, Dylan Cunningham 8, Donagh McDonagh 6, Liam Moloney 6, Patrick Lyons 4, Sean Candon 3, John Hynes.

Categories: News