Maigh Cuilinn 72
Ulster University 83

Maigh Cuilinn were unable to overcome a composed and disciplined Ulster University team in a lively National League matchup on Saturday afternoon at the Cappagh Community Centre in Knocknacarra. The visitors claimed an 83-72 victory, with their sharper execution and defensive solidity proving decisive.

The loss sees Maigh Cuilinn’s promising start to the campaign take a dent as they struggled to find consistency, particularly on the defensive end. Meanwhile, Ulster University demonstrated why they are considered among the league’s most balanced teams, with a range of players contributing.

The game began brightly for Maigh Cuilinn, who raced to an early 15-9 lead behind an efficient offensive display that saw Aitor Perez and Rory O’Sullivan get on the scoreboard. However, Ulster quickly responded, with back-to-back three-pointers from Robert Graham leveling the contest. The opening quarter ended on a high for the visitors, with another Graham three-pointer on the buzzer giving Ulster a narrow 23-21 advantage.

Maigh Cuilinn looked poised to seize control early in the second quarter as elder statesman Dylan Cunningham found his rhythm, scoring eight straight points, including back-to-back three-pointers and a basket inside, to push the home side into a 29-23 lead. However, defensive lapses began to creep in for Maigh Cuilinn, particularly in transition, where they gave up several easy baskets.

One standout moment of the quarter came when Eoin Cleary, returning from an injury sustained in the season opener, made a clever backdoor cut and finished a layup off a precise pass from Grant Olsson. The score leveled the game at 35 apiece after Ulster had snuck into the lead on the back of Maigh Cuilinn’s defensive lapses.

A fine display of sportsmanship occurred midway through the second quarter when Ulster University returned possession to Maigh Cuilinn after an incorrect eight-second violation call caused by a clock malfunction. Karma seemed to be on the visitor’s side with that and they finished the half strongly, using their defensive intensity to stifle Maigh Cuilinn’s offense and scoring several fastbreak baskets to head into halftime with a 45-37 lead.

Ulster started the third quarter in a 2-1-2 zone, but Maigh Cuilinn immediately punished it with three-pointers from Rory O’Sullivan and Aitor Perez. Despite this promising start, Maigh Cuilinn’s defensive struggles persisted. Grant Olsson began to assert himself offensively, but lapses in concentration on the defensive end by several Maigh Cuilinn players allowed Ulster to maintain their lead, heading into the final quarter ahead 64-56.

In the fourth, Maigh Cuilinn pushed hard to close the gap, stringing together a series of stops on defense. However, crucial missed shots and turnovers at key moments hampered their comeback attempt. Ulster steadied the ship and maintained their composure, with Conor Liston delivering a dagger three-pointer late in the game to extend their lead to 79-65 and effectively seal the victory.

Aitor Perez led the scoring for Maigh Cuilinn with 20 points, while Grant Olsson chipped in 17 and Dylan Cunningham added 11. Eoin Cleary, returning to action, contributed 6 points alongside Antonio Molina.

While Maigh Cuilinn showed glimpses of their offensive potential, their defensive inconsistency was ultimately their undoing and coach Paul O’Brien was particularly disappointed in his post- game comments with some of the effort on display at times. With just one more home game remaining before the new year, against Limerick Celtics on 28 December, O’Brien will be eager to see improvements on both ends of the floor as his team aims to stay in contention in the National League.

Maigh Cuilinn Scorers:
Aitor Perez 20, Grant Olsson 17, Dylan Cunningham 11, Eoin Cleary 6, Antonio Molina 6, Liam Moloney 5, Rory O’Sullivan 5, Rhys Plower 2, James Loughnane, Donagh McDonagh, Cian Walsh, John Hynes.

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