National Cup Final Preview

The showpiece event of the basketball season for the Men’s Super League sides is set to be played out on Saturday night when Garvey’s Tralee Warriors take to the court to face Ballincollig in the final of the Dominos Men’s Super League National Cup at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght. It promises to be an intriguing clash between the Warriors, who were Cup and League double winning champions in 2022 and Ballincollig, the Super League champions of the following season Ballincollig.

 

Ballincollig come into the clash as Super League leaders and one of the form teams in  the country. Their path to the final has seen them weave a way past Griffith College Eanna, Belfast Star and an overtime win over Limerick Celtics in a thrilling semi final by 70-76. They boast a number of the best pros in the League in Latavious Mitchell, Latrell Jossell and Josh Steel who provide Ballincollig individually and collectively with top class weaponry. Mitchell is averaging 31 per game with Jossell and Steel clocking 17 and 16 respectively in the Cup competition to date. Add to that player coach Ciaran O’Sullivan, Adrian O’Sullivan, Ronan O’Sullivan, Luke O’Sullivan, Keelan Cairns and Dylan Corkery and the Cork side have the local resources to fully compliment the professional players, with their form to date in both Cup and League testament to that.

However Ballincollig season got off to a shocking start with defeats to both League newcomers Limerick Celtics and St. Vincents before completely turning around their fortunes with a 13-game unbeaten run of wins in both competitions. The impressive run of form came to an end last Saturday night when for the second time this season, St. Vincents lowered their colours, in a game Ballincollig were in total control of with just a minute on the clock. It broke the momentum of their winning streak but remains to be seen if it will affect their approach and preparation for Saturday’s final.

 

The Warriors in contrast warmed up with a hard fought 85-83 win over UCD Marian who they had overcome two weeks earlier in the Cup semi final by 86-74. Iggy Hunte was back to his very best on Saturday with 27 points and 15 rebounds while Jordan Perkins conducted affairs from point guard before shooting the game winning score. The performance of both pros will be pivotal to how the Warriors fare against the Cup favourites in addition to the all round game of Daniel Jokubaitis, who was MVP in the Cup final when the Warriors were crowned champions in 2022. Jokubaitis at his best can shoot the lights out, as he did four years ago, while defensively he can match up with the very best.

 

The local players have been outstanding for Warriors this season as they have stepped up to deliver Coach John Dowling the total team performances from deep down the bench that many sides have struggled with. Captain Eoin Quigley has led the team from the front with big shifts coming from Padraig Fleming, Dan Bowler, Steven Bowler, Olaf Michalczuk, Keelan Crowe, Cian Sullivan and James Fernane who have all stepped up and make a difference when called into the rotations.

 

The team’s record in Cup finals edges the way of Warriors who won the Pat Duffy Cup at the first time of asking against C&S Neptune in 2022. The Warriors went on to win the League to secure an historic double for the club later that season in what was the last silverware collected by the team that was formed just 10 years ago.

Ballincollig on the other hand broke Warriors hearts in a dramatic semifinal in 2023 with a last second winner from Keelan Cairns deciding a titanic clash between the sides before going into the National Cup final as strong favourites to capture their first title. However, they were stunned by a huge second half display by Leeside rivals UCC Demons in the decider. They did in turn go onto win the League that year but the experience of their one and only attempt at Cup glory may well have haunted them since.

On form, the clever money may well be on Ballincollig but on Cup final experience, the Warriors have a clear edge. The game will come down to a number of factors; the perfomance of the respective pros, the input of the local players on each side, how the teams deal with the buildup to the game and the nerves on the day and on how the game will unfold, particularly in the early exchanges, once the ball is tipped at 8.00pm on Saturday night.

 

Lest we forget the respective 6th man for each side with huge support expected in Tallaght for both teams, there promises to be an atmosphere to savour because it is Cup Final basketball after all and form, history and the latest results count for little in the heat of battle in the sport’s showpiece event.

Round 1:              Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 72 – 64 Energywise Ireland Neptune

Quarter Final:   Garvey’s Tralee Warriors  89 – 75 Killester

Semi Final:         Garvey’s Tralee Warriors  86 – 74 UCD Marian