Limerick Sport Eagles 83
Maigh Cuilinn 74
Men’s National League – UL Sports Arena, Saturday 31 January 2026

Maigh Cuilinn pushed the Southern Conference leaders all the way on Saturday night in Limerick, but a perfectly timed fourth-quarter surge from the hosts proved decisive as Eagles ran out 83–74 winners in a game defined by momentum swings.

The contest ebbed and flowed throughout, and when the sides went into the final quarter locked at 61 apiece, the UL Sports Arena sensed a potential upset. Maigh Cuilinn even struck first in the fourth, Brendan Hardiman finishing inside to give the visitors a 63–61 lead and momentarily silence a raucous home crowd.

That, however, was the moment Eagles chose to assert themselves.

Irish international Ryan Leonard orchestrated the defining sequence of the night, first finding Fryderyk Klimas for a crucial three-pointer before drilling one himself on the very next possession. It sparked a devastating 12–0 run that swung the game decisively in Limerick’s favour. Though Dylan Cunningham briefly halted the momentum with a basket to make it 75–65, Eagles immediately answered again, this time through a deep three from American guard Alex Carlisle, underlining that the window had closed.

From there, Eagles controlled proceedings, winning the fourth quarter 22–13 and showing the composure and shot-making expected of a team sitting atop the conference. On the night, they were just about deserving winners.

The game had started competitively, with Ivan Basic and Grant Olsson trading early scores as both sides settled. However, the opening quarter turned sharply in Limerick’s favour as Eagles closed it out on an 18–5 run, racing into a 28–15 lead after five punishing minutes.

Maigh Cuilinn responded impressively. The second quarter belonged firmly to the visitors, who tightened defensively and found rhythm offensively to outscore Eagles 24–15, hauling themselves back into contention. That momentum carried into the third quarter, where Maigh Cuilinn again shaded the period 22–18, levelling the contest at 61–61 heading into the decisive final ten minutes.

Throughout, Olsson was outstanding, finishing with 31 points in a tireless scoring display, while Basic added 17 and repeatedly kept Maigh Cuilinn ticking over. Cunningham provided important interior scores, and the visitors showed resilience to respond to every earlier Eagles push.

Ultimately, it was the timing of Limerick’s run — and the quality of the players executing it — that told. Leonard and Carlisle delivered when it mattered most, ensuring the leaders avoided a rare home slip.

The defeat leaves Maigh Cuilinn sitting one game outside the playoff places, sharpening the focus on their next outing — a crucial home fixture against Dublin Lions on Saturday 7 February at the University of Galway Sports Arena. With the table finely poised, that encounter now carries real weight for Maigh Cuilinn’s postseason ambitions.

Maigh Cuilinn scorers: Grant Olsson 31, Ivan Basic 17, Dylan Cunningham 9, Antonio Molina 7, Brendan Hardiman 4, Rory O’Sullivan 3, John Hynes 2, John Hackett 1, James Loughnane, Liam Moloney, Ray Bonar

Categories: Men's Superleague, News