Men’s National League Basketball

Maigh Cuilinn 73, Ulster University 63

Saturday, 17 October 2026 – Kingfisher Arena, University of Galway

Photo Cred: LC Sports Media

It may not have been high scoring but boy was it entertaining. Finishing 73 to 63, the Basketball Ireland Men’s National League clash between Maigh Cuilinn and Ulster University in the Kingfisher Saturday evening was end to end action start to finish, notwithstanding that the end rarely seemed to be a scored basket.

Much to the delight of a large crowd in attendance, both teams played full court man to man defence from the off and pushed the fastbreak at every opportunity. It may have left some tired legs to convert chances into actual scores at times but the breathless action meant there was no shortage of entertainment.

Fittingly, the winning score was a hectic heave of a three pointer from James Loughnane from 25 feet on the shot clock buzzer, expanding the home lead to 10 points with a minute left and earning an exasperated sigh from Ulster head coach Darren O’Neill as his charges’ well-fought challenge was dealt a final blow.

That dramatic finish was an appropriate conclusion to a contest that had started in equally mmanic fashion, albeit with the visitors enjoying the early running. Ulster University raced into a 10–0 lead as Maigh Cuilinn squandered several straightforward scoring opportunities and were ruthlessly punished in transition.

But Paul O’Brien’s side quickly found their defensive intensity, and what followed was a remarkable turnaround. With Liam Moloney and John Hynes spearheading an aggressive full-court press, the home side began forcing turnovers and disrupting Ulster’s offensive rhythm. By midway through the second quarter, Ulster had managed just ten further points while Maigh Cuilinn had poured in 29 of their own to turn a ten-point deficit into a nine-point advantage.

Grant Olsson was, as ever, hugely influential, while the energetic Antonio Molina was a constant presence at both ends of the court. The pair combined for 16 first-half points, with James Loughnane providing another potent attacking threat whenever the ball found its way into his hands.

Maigh Cuilinn edged the opening quarter 20–16 before taking the second 19–14 to establish a deserved 39–30 halftime lead. Having recovered from their disastrous start, the home side were full value for their advantage and looked well placed to push on after the interval.

Ulster University, however, had other ideas.

The visitors emerged for the third quarter with renewed determination, tightening their defence and, crucially, finding a way to contain Ivan Basic, who had been Maigh Cuilinn’s most creative influence in the opening half. With Basic afforded considerably less freedom to orchestrate the offence, the home side’s half-court attack became noticeably less fluent.

At the other end, Ulster’s outstanding Jaden Kealey continued to cause problems. The 6ft 5in New York native was a handful throughout, combining physical presence with an impressive scoring touch to finish with a game-high 29 points. His ability to create opportunities even against Maigh Cuilinn’s relentless defensive pressure ensured the visitors remained firmly in contention.

Ulster won the third quarter 18–16, reducing the deficit to seven points at 55–48 entering the final period, and there was little doubt that the visitors were not going to surrender without a fight.

Indeed, with Kealey leading the charge, Ulster gradually chipped away at the home advantage. As the clock ticked towards the final three minutes, the men from the north had narrowed the gap to just three points at 64–61, setting up a tense conclusion in front of an increasingly vocal Kingfisher crowd.

With the momentum threatening to swing decisively towards the visitors, Maigh Cuilinn needed their experienced players to deliver, and they duly obliged.

Olsson and Basic combined for five enormous points to steady the home side and restore some breathing room at the most critical juncture of the contest. Equally important was the reintroduction of veteran Dylan Cunningham, whose composure and intelligent link passing helped restore order to a Maigh Cuilinn offence that had begun to look increasingly hurried under the pressure of Ulster’s comeback.

And then came Loughnane’s spectacular long-range effort, an audacious 25-foot three-pointer that effectively extinguished Ulster’s hopes and brought the home support to its feet.

In truth, Maigh Cuilinn were deserving winners. While Olsson led their scoring with 21 points, followed by Basic with 14 and Loughnane with 11, this was a victory built on contributions throughout the squad.

Moloney and Molina each chipped in with nine points, while Joseph Morris, Brendan Hardiman and Mark Convery added three apiece. Just as importantly, the defensive efforts of Hynes, Moloney and Donogh McDonagh, the energy of the wider rotation and Cunningham’s late-game composure demonstrated a depth that proved invaluable as the contest wore on.

Ulster deserve considerable credit for their resilience and the quality of their challenge, particularly after Maigh Cuilinn had appeared ready to pull clear in the first half. In Kealey they possessed the outstanding individual scorer on the floor, but the home side’s greater range of contributors ultimately proved decisive.

The result moves Maigh Cuilinn to two wins from their opening three National League fixtures and, perhaps just as importantly, maintains their perfect home record.

If Saturday evening was anything to go by, the Kingfisher Arena is developing into a difficult place for visiting sides to come away with points. It may not always be pretty, and the baskets may not always flow freely, but there can be few complaints about the entertainment on offer.

Maigh Cuilinn scorers: Grant Olsson 21, Ivan Basic 14, James Loughnane 11, Liam Moloney 9, Antonio Molina 9, Joseph Morris 3, Brendan Hardiman 3, Mark Convery 3, Dylan Cunningham, John Hynes, Donogh McDonagh, Darragh Kelly.

Categories: Men's Superleague