DATE: Saturday, 22 November 2025
VENUE: ATU Donegal, Letterkenny
SCORE: Team North West 71 – Maigh Cuilinn 89
Team North West were the unfortunate side in the wrong place at the wrong time as they faced down a possessed Maigh Cuilinn outfit who showed absolutely no mercy in avenging a six-game losing streak. From the opening tip in Letterkenny, it was clear that the visitors had parked their recent frustrations and arrived intent on taking control of their season rather than being defined by its early stumbles.
Maigh Cuilinn opened the game with an astonishing 18–0 run, playing full-court, man-to-man defence with a ferocity and collective purpose that immediately overwhelmed the home side. Team North West struggled even to advance the ball across half-court as the Connemara men swarmed passing lanes, forced turnover after turnover, and converted repeatedly in transition. The first quarter ended 30–7, and in truth, the contest was already beyond repair for the hosts.
The second quarter followed a similar pattern, Maigh Cuilinn maintaining their energy and discipline to win the period 21–19 and stretch their advantage to 51–26 at the interval. It was precisely the sort of response head coach Paul O’Brien would have demanded after a difficult month in which his side had found myriad ways to lose close contests. Here, there were no nerves, no hesitation, no letting inferior opposition linger. Maigh Cuilinn made a clear decision early: this would not be another tight finish.
To their credit, Team North West, and in particular their outstanding American import Thomas DiRienzo, refused to fold. DiRienzo, who has been the lone consistent bright spot for the Letterkenny team all season, delivered a remarkable individual performance, scoring 42 points with an array of drives, pull-ups and deep shooting that briefly reignited the home crowd. North West took the third quarter 28–17 as Maigh Cuilinn momentarily eased off the defensive throttle.
Any thoughts of an improbable comeback, however, were quickly extinguished. Maigh Cuilinn reasserted control in the fourth quarter, winning it 21–17 and ensuring a comfortable 89–71 final margin. Crucially, all twelve players saw meaningful court time in the second half, allowing the squad to bank confidence and cohesion ahead of a pivotal stretch of fixtures.
Next up is a marquee Saturday evening home game at the University of Galway Sports Arena against last season’s league and cup finalists Portlaoise Panthers. The sides produced two dramatic, high-quality battles last year — one decided in overtime in the Cup, the other a nail-biter in the playoff quarterfinals — both of which went Portlaoise’s way. With Maigh Cuilinn now showing renewed sharpness and purpose, Saturday’s meeting promises to be another compelling chapter in what has quietly become one a real measuring stick of a team for this Maigh Cuilinn outfit.
Maigh Cuilinn scorers: Grant Olsson 24, Rory O’Sullivan 16, John Hackett 12, Antonio Molina 11, Ivan Basic 10, Dylan Cunningham 8, Liam Moloney 4, John Hynes 4, Stephen Tummon, Ray O’Cnáimhsí, Brendan Hardiman.
Categories: Men's Superleague
CC Mhaigh Cuilinn 