InsureMyHouse.ie Pat Duffy National Cup Semi Final
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 76
Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig@MTU 78
UCC Demons will play Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig@MTU in the final of the InsureMyHouse.ie Pat Duffy National Cup on Saturday week after Ballincollig landed a buzzer beating dagger score right at the death to edge a pulsating and at times breathless semi-final in Neptune Stadium on Saturday night. The Warriors looked a beaten team early in the final quarter when they trailed by as much as 17 but despite an injury to playmaker Ryan Leonard and Daniel Jokubaitis out of kilter from distance they embarked stunning run that saw them lead with a minute on the clock and looked like setting up an unlikely win. However the Warriors hopes were dashed when a final second buzzer beater from former Belfast Star Keelan Cairns gave Ballincollig the win and set up an all Cork Cup final in Tallaght in two weeks.
Sean McManus was on the mark in the opening play of the game and Andre Nation was also in range early but Warriors response came from Rap Buivydas and Caleb Jordan with the first 2 of his 28 points on the night. Adrian O’Sullivan arced in a three before giving up his second foul of the game allowing Ryan Leonard an add one score to level at 8-8. Warriors captain Eoin Quigley added a quick fire five points, and despite a major score from Ballincollig’s player coach Ciaran O’Sullivan, Cian Sullivan, Leonard and Jordan added to see Warriors lead 20-16 at quarter time.
A Shawndale Jones Jnr. three was immediately countered at the other end by Jarvis Doles at the start of the second following a stunning rejection by Caleb Jordan. However when Nation and Jones were in range again and Adrian O’Sullivan landed another typical long range effort, coach John Dowling had to call an urgent time out. The Warriors were now struggling to cope with the offensive threat posed by both Jones and Nation and despite baskets from Doles and Jordan, Ballincollig eased 37-31 ahead thanks to a 7 point volley from dangerman Nation that had the League champions fans on their feet. However Warriors steadied the ship to be down by just a major score 39-36 with Daniel Jokubaitis landing his first score from play right on the halftime buzzer.
The third quarter saw Ballincollig seize the initiative to build a sizable 12 point lead by the midway point with Nation and Jones continuing to torment the Warriors defence and Adrian O’Sullivan firing in from inside and outside. Despite Jokubaitis hitting his first three and Jordan adding from beyond the arc, Ballincollig led 56-44. Jordan with a double and a monster three from Quigley kept Warriors in the game but Jones Jnr. caught fire to hit five in row that saw the Cork side 66-53 up at three quarter time.
Images with thanks to Liam Ryan
The stadium announcer bellowed “a nation once again”, as Andre Nation was on the mark with an early double that pushed out the lead to what appeared to be an unassailable 70-53. A time out call by John Dowling halted the Ballincollig momentum and when Ryan Leonard hit nothing but net and quickly added from inside and Jordan, Jokubaitis and Buivydas all got in on the act the lead was cut to a single score. The stadium was rocking and the atmosphere at fever pitch with Kieran Donaghy who was outstanding throughout, hustling, harrying and bossing the physical exchanges, roared at the Warriors faithful to help carry the team over the line. The response on the floor was immediate when Jarvis Doles added another Ballincollig Ciaran O’Sullivan called a timeout to avert a potential landslide.
New recruit Caleb Jordan was brilliant on the night and his late salvo brought the sides level and then he edged the Warriors 75-74 ahead with 55 seconds on the clock. A foul on Nation allowed him take full value from the line to edge Ballincollig ahead but Jordan tied the game again with just 9.5 seconds remaining. Out of the final timeout of the game Jones Jnr. drove to the board but the Warriors defence held tough and with the ball circling the rim and dropping out the game looked certain to go to overtime. However in one final devastating act former Belfast Star Keelan Cairns got possession from the rebound to put up a final second effort and as the backboard lit up so too did the entire Ballincollig outfit as he landed a stunning basket to secure the 78-76 win and see his side book their place in an all Cork National Cup final on Saturday week. It was Cup basketball at its very best, a full house, incredible atmosphere and two teams that left everything on the court. Sensational.
Scorers:
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors: Caleb Jordan 28, Ryan Leonard 11, Rap Buivydas 11
Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig@MTU: Andre Nation 27, Shawndale Jones Jnr. 26, Adrian O’Sullivan 13
It is back to the week to week duties of Super League next weekend when as luck would have it Cup finalists UCC Demons visit Tralee for what could have been a possible dress rehearsal for the Cup final. Instead Demons and coach Danny O’Mahony will have to decide if they intend to hold something back for the Cup final the following week or do they go all out to secure some badly needed League points. Either way it will be an intriguing clash in the Tralee Sports Complex with the Warriors looking to do the double on the visitors after their 76-72 win over Demons in the Mardyke Arena in Round 8.
Please note that the game is on Friday night with a later tip off than usual at 8.00pm.
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