Great showing by lads who make top 16

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The team started their Billy Kelly journey in ideal fashion with a hard-fought 45–40 win over tournament hosts Neptune Basketball Club. In a tense, low-scoring battle that saw momentum swing throughout, Maigh Cuilinn’s composure and clutch shot-making made the difference. The green and white trailed by a point at the half but edged ahead with a strong third quarter, holding off a Neptune push in the final minutes. It was a full-squad effort with scoring spread across the roster and key defensive stops throughout. It’s the perfect platform as they head into the rest of their group games later today.

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Maigh Cuilinn backed up their gritty opening win with a much more dominant display in Game 2, taking down England’s Cheam Chargers 48–27. The team imposed their physicality from the outset, allowing just 8 points in the first half and controlling the tempo on both ends.

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Maigh Cuilinn’s perfect start met its first stumble in the final group game, falling 49–37 to a sharp Dublin Lions outfit. The Galway side battled hard throughout but struggled to generate consistent offense against the Lions’ athletic and physical defense. Despite a late push in the fourth, Maigh Cuilinn couldn’t overturn the deficit.

Still, Maigh Cuilinn’s earlier wins over Neptune and Cheam Chargers ensure progression to the top 16 — a brilliant achievement in one of the toughest U17 tournaments on the calendar. Their Round of 16 clash is set for 7:00 PM against the winners of Pool C, either Limerick Lions or Oblate Dynamos.

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Maigh Cuilinn’s U17s bowed out of the Billy Kelly Tournament at the last 16 stage after a 64–34 loss to a superb Oblate Dynamos side. It was a contest that showed the levels needed to go deep in the competition, and one that provided valuable lessons for the young Galway outfit.

The game was finely poised midway through the third quarter with just 10 points separating the sides, but an energy dip from Maigh Cuilinn coincided with a clinical stretch from the Dubliners, who closed the game strongly at both ends. Dynamos’ disciplined defence and balanced scoring made them look every inch one of the tournament favourites, a tag the Dubliners would go on to validate by winning the tournament in due course.

Despite the result, the day was a fantastic experience for Maigh Cuilinn, who fully earned their place in the top 16 with impressive earlier wins over Neptune and Cheam Chargers. This campaign has been a big step forward for the group and, crucially, offered a glimpse of what’s required to compete at the elite level.

Tournament Preview

The Under-17 boys of Cumann Cispheile Mhaigh Cuilinn are heading to Cork this Saturday, 18 April, to take part in the Billy Kelly Tournament — widely recognised as the unofficial All-Ireland Championship for this age group. The tournament, hosted by the Cork County Board, is one of the most anticipated weekends on the Irish basketball calendar.

Now featuring 32 of the top teams from across Ireland and the UK, the Billy Kelly is a hotbed of talent and competition. After Saturday’s group stages, all teams progress to either the Cup or Plate 16-team knockout bracket — meaning every team still has silverware to chase come Sunday.

Maigh Cuilinn’s group offers a superb mix of challenge and intrigue: they open against local Cork giants Neptune Basketball Club before facing Cheam Chargers from England, and finishing their pool against Dublin Lions.

This year’s team of 2025 is entering the tournament in strong form, having already claimed the Galway Cup in thrilling fashion earlier this season. That local triumph, earned through grit and late-game heroics, has given this young squad the belief that they can compete with the best in Ireland.

The team features a solid core of U17 players and is bolstered by several rising stars from the U16 ranks who will represent Maigh Cuilinn in next weekend’s All-Ireland Club Championships (AICCs) — a testament to the club’s impressive pipeline of emerging talent.

Inside, Lukas Lydon, JJ Philips, and Jack O’Sullivan offer the kind of size and physicality that few teams can match. Their presence under the basket on both ends will be key.

In the backcourt, Louis Gannon and Darragh Kelly provide a strong and composed guard pairing, while Conor Faherty and Alex O’Sullivan bring scoring and creative spark from the point guard position.

Defensively, Daniel Ose and Darragh Fahy add grit and tenacity, often tasked with shutting down opposing guards. And from the perimeter, Sean Morrison is capable of heating up quickly with his smooth three-point shooting stroke.

Guiding the group is an experienced and passionate coaching ticket made up of Ger Lyons, Cian Nihill, and Peter Gannon, all of whom have poured huge commitment into the development of this side.

It’s been ten years since Maigh Cuilinn first captured Billy Kelly glory, when the 2015 team led by Eoghan Kelly, Conor Curran, John Hackett, Jimmy “Boston” Lyons, and David Kelly stormed to a famous title. A second win followed in 2018 — can this year’s group carve out a place in that proud history?

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