Limerick Celtics defeat Moy Tolka Rovers 85-78 to advance to Presidents' National Cup Final

Limerick Celtics overcame a sluggish start to advance to the Presidents’ National Cup Final and maintain their unbeaten tag in the 2024/25 season with a 85-78 win against a fired up Moy Tolka Rovers at MTU Arena on Saturday night.

Moy Tolka Rovers gave Tony Hehir’s side all they could handle, amassing a 13-point advantage at the end of the first quarter, but the Men’s Division One joint-leaders gradually eroded that lead to set up a mouth-watering clash against another unbeaten team, ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers in the decider.

Men’s Division One Player of The Month Finn Hughes continued his rich vein of form with a 31-point haul and he picked up his first bucket early in the contest, responding to a Emiliyan Grudov floater to leave the score 5-4 to the Dubliners after the opening exchanges. Both teams enjoyed periods in the ascendancy to the midway point of the first before Moy Tolka Rovers really found their grove on the offensive end. Marcus Black hit a trademark three to conclude a 15-3 run in the last 4:14 of the quarter that included 12 points for Daniel Ayoade, giving the underdogs a 32-19 lead.

Stephen Commins and Mike Wallace continued the team in red’s momentum early in the second, but Limerick Celtics were giving signals that they were emerging from their slumber. Hughes, Eoghan Donaghy and Ariyon Williams all drove the lane effectively, reducing the gap to 37-30 with just over four minutes remaining in the half. Commins hit a pick and pop three, while Daniel Ayoade got to the line for the first time to keep the scoreboard ticking for Moy Tolka Rovers and they took a slender 48-39 lead into the interval.

That lead was down to three by the end of the third. An 8-0 run completed by another automatic Hughes mid-range jumper brought the teams level at 60 a-piece with 1:46 to go in the period. Ayoade responded with a crucial corner three, followed swiftly by another drive to the lane as the Dublin side looked to avoid semi-final heartache twelve months on from their defeat to Limerick Sport Eagles at the same stage. Hughes and Grudov swapped threes and the teams were level once more at the midway point in the quarter, 70-70 – though once Hughes edged them back in front with his fourth and final shot from beyond the arc – Moy Tolka Rovers couldn’t recover their momentum. Successive buckets from Chima Obikwelu and Williams put the game beyond their reach and sets up a first meeting of the year between the unbeaten Limerick Celtics and ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers at the National Basketball Arena next weekend.  

Quarter Scores: Q1: 19-32, Q2: 20-16 , Q3:23-17 , Q4: 23-13

Limerick Celtics:

Eoghan Donaghy, Ariyon Jamal Williams, Martin Frawley, Cian Gleeson, Conor Donaghy, Dennis Matthews, Finn Hughes, Matthew Barry, Chima Obikwelu, Abdul Wurie, Philip Kearney, Sean Ryan, Vadjikiba Dosso, Jordan Hehir

Head Coach: Tony Hehir

Top Scorers: Finn Hughes (31), Ariyon Williams (24), Eoghan Donaghy (11)

Killester:

Daniel Ayoade, Mike Wallace, Ryan Ganniclefft, Marcus Black, Tom Kenny, Elijah Faapito, Samuel Badejo, Thomas McCourt, Misan Fyne, Rory Howe, Stephen Commins, Emilyan Grudov, Daniel Russell

Head Coach: Vincent O’Keeffe

Top Scorers: Daniel Ayoade (22), Stephen Commins (19), Emiliyan Grudov (17)