DATE: Thursday, 13 November 2025
VENUE: Ballinfoile Community Centre, Galway
SCORE: Titans 95 — Maigh Cuilinn 84

Local derbies are supposed to be tight and tense affairs. Nobody told Titans and Maigh Cuilinn however.

One hundred and seventy-nine combined points and forty minutes of thrilling, end-to-end basketball after this Galway derby tipped off, it was the city side Titans who were deserving of a 95–84 win at Ballinfoile.

In front of a sold-out home crowd, Titans produced one of their most accurate shooting performances of the season, punishing Maigh Cuilinn’s 2–3 zone with ruthless efficiency. Maigh Cuilinn’s defensive plan was clear — protect the paint, dare Titans to shoot over the top — but the hosts answered emphatically, sinking 14 three-pointers at a remarkable 48 percent clip.

While Umar Rachid led Titans in scoring with 28, it was the inside–out partnership of guard Joseph Coughlan and forward Fortune Igbokwe that continually destabilised the Maigh Cuilinn defence. Coughlan orchestrated, probed and scored, while Igbokwe’s athletic presence around the rim complemented the perimeter barrage, giving Titans balance and control throughout.

For Maigh Cuilinn, Grant Olsson delivered another immense performance, pouring in 30 points while covering acres defensively and pushing the tempo in transition. He was, at times, single-handedly keeping his team within striking distance. John Hackett continued his strong adaptation to National League play, and Rory O’Sullivan provided energy and timely scoring.

Yet the pivotal moment arrived at the end of the first half. With Titans leading 50–46 and fewer than 30 seconds remaining, Maigh Cuilinn had a chance to close the gap or at worst settle the half. Instead, a turnover led to an uncontested Titans basket. Worse followed: forcing the action early on the next possession, Maigh Cuilinn turned the ball over again and conceded a buzzer-beating fast-break layup. What should have been a one-possession game became an eight-point deficit at 54–46 — a turning point that shifted the momentum irreversibly.

Maigh Cuilinn edged the third quarter 22–21 and continued to battle gamely, but each attempt to build a run was extinguished by another Titans three or a composed finish inside from Igbokwe or Coughlan. The fourth quarter followed the same rhythm: Maigh Cuilinn pushing, Titans answering.

Despite the result, the Connemara men showed plenty of heart and offensive flow. If they can eliminate the costly lapses and lift their collective defensive intensity, the potential for a strong stretch of games remains intact.

Maigh Cuilinn scorers: Grant Olsson 30, Aitor Perez 14, Rory O’Sullivan 9, John Hackett 9, Ivan Basic 9, Antonio Molina 6, John Hynes 3, Dylan Cunningham 3, Liam Moloney 1, Stephen Tummon, Brendan Hardiman, Cian Carroll.

Categories: Men's Superleague