Limerick Celtics claimed their first BIDL Men’s title, beating Tralee Warriors 84-72 in the final at the National Basketball Arena on Saturday. Philip Kearney picked up the game MVP following his double-double of 19 points and 14 rebounds.

Defending champions Tralee Warriors made a strong start to this contest and were up by 10 points, 18-8, after back-to-back baskets from Aaron Fleming and Joshua Osayanrhion with three and a half minutes to go in the quarter. Limerick Celtics responded with an 11-point run, finished off by Bryan Morrison’s three in the closing seconds of the quarter to put them 19-18 in front.

It remained tight throughout the second quarter, Limerick Celtics had a 43-40 lead by half-time.

It was level pegging at 48-48 after James Fernane’s long range two, four minutes into the third quarter. Limerick Celtics then established a seven point lead, 58-51, following Matthew Barry’s three with three and a half minutes to go. However there was the slimmest of margins once more going into the final quarter, following Steve Bowlers jump shot, to see Tralee Warriors trail 60-59.

Limerick Celtics were up 65-61 early in the fourth quarter following Kearney’s jump shot. Not long afterwards Olaf Michalszuk’s three for Tralee Warriors made it a one-point game once more, trailing 65-64 a little over two minutes in. Limerick Celtics then started to pull away, Matthew Barry downed a long range three which hit nothing but net to put them 75-65 up midway through the quarter.

Tralee Warriors persevered, but a Barry layup with 52 seconds to go signalled the end for the Kerry outfit, Limerick Celtics were up by 10 points once more, 82-72. They would add two more Barry free throws to round out an 84-72 victory.

Quarter Scores:

Q1: 18-19, Q2: 22-24 Q3: 19-17, Q4: 13-24

Game Scores:

Q1: 18-19, Q2: 40-43, Q3: 59-60, Q4: 72-84

Tralee Warriors:

Joshua Osayanrhion (20), Olaf Michalczuk (12), Zygimantes Kaletka (0), Dominic Craig (DNP), Christopher Nolan (DNP), Aaron Fleming (10), Adam O’Keefe (DNP), Steve Bowler (15), James Fernane (5), Daniel Bowler (10), Padraig Fleming (0)

Limerick Celtics:

Eoghan Donaghy (13), Bryan Morrison (3), Martin Frawley (12), Connor Donaghy (4), Dennis Matthews (0), Matthew Barry (13), Philip Kearney (19), Sean Ryan (20)

Source: ireland basketball

A fourth quarter flourish helped Limerick Celtics defeat ND Portlaoise Panthers 72-60 and lift the Presidents’ National Cup for the first time. These two sides came into the game at the National Basketball Arena with unbeaten seasons so far, Limerick 13-0 and ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers 12-0 in Men’s Division One. A tight contest was expected and that is how it unfolded, Limerick Celtics 17-15 ahead by the end of the first. It was a similar pattern in the second quarter, Eric Anderson’s basket a minute into the second quarter put ND Portlaoise Panthers in front for the first time 19-17. The side’s exchanged leads, Limerick Celtics nudged themselves 30-29 in front following a dunk from Abdul Wurie (203-F, college: Oakland City, agency: 6th Man Basketball Agency) with 3’35 left in second quarter. Celtics would hold a five point lead by the end of the quarter, 36-31. A layup from AJ Williams made it 39-35 to Celtics just before the midpoint of the third quarter, he had 14 points at that stage on his way to claiming the MVP. Williams finished with 25 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Philip Kearney (205-C-2005) nailed a lovely corner three to put Celtics 42-37 up with 4’21” to go in the quarter. But it was level at 42-42 following Aleksandar Kovacevic’s basket with three minutes to go. Limerick Celtics went back in front by five once more, 49-44, with 50 seconds remaning, following another Williams score, only for Xabier Arriaga (201-F-1997) to claw it back at the finish, to leave it poised at 49-46 going into the final quarter. Limerick Celtics opened a seven point lead at the start of the fourth quarter, 55-48, following Williams’ basket. But again that was reeled in, Anderson with a basket and two free throws to trail 55-52. The gap was seven points, 59-52, following a steal and layup by Finn Hughes and a two point jump shot from the corner by Williams with less than six minutes to go. It was a 10 point gap, 62-52, when Hughes slotted from the three point line. Portlaoise Panthers needed a response, Anderson hit a long range three to bring his tally to 25 points. That score was matched by Hughes, who was finding his range in the fourth quarter - scoring 10 of his 15 points in it - and Celtics led 67-55 with 2’16” to go and they weren’t to be caught. Limerick Celtics head coach Tony Hehir said: “It means everything to us, we’re a young club, we’ve had so much development over the year with the younger players and it’s incredible to see them on this platform winning a National Cup today.” He added, “In fairness to Portlaoise they really came back strong, and they are a great basketball team, but I thought our third and fourth quarter performance on defence probably won the game for us.”
Courtesy of: ireland.basketball