National League

Jan 28 2024

Kavanagh’s Portlaoise Panthers battle back to topple UCD Marian while Templeogue’s late surge undoes Abbey Seals Dublin Lions

Kavanagh’s Portlaoise Panthers laid down a real marker in the InsureMyVan.ie Division One title race by battling back from 14 points down to beat UCD Marian 95-78 in St. Mary’s Hall on Saturday night, while in the MissQuote.ie Division One, Templeogue hit the afterburners in the final quarter to see off Abbey Seals Dublin Lions 72-61.

Kavanagh’s Portlaoise Panthers made it clear that they are not about to relinquish top spot in the InsureMyVan.ie Division One North Conference without a massive fight after they battled back from 14 points down at the break to beat UCD Marian 95-78 in St. Mary’s Hall on Saturday night.

Looking to not only secure three valuable points, but also avenge their InsureMyHouse.ie President’s Cup loss to a UCD outfit that continued on to win this season’s competition, Portlaoise turned in a huge defensive display in the second half that permitted their Belfield rivals a meagre 23 points.

New-signing Kerry Richardson emerged the game’s top scorer on 26 points while Dylan Dunne and Ravel Moody weighed in with a further 38 for the hosts.

“It’s a hugely pleasing victory, to go from 14 points down at half-time and come out with a 17-point victory” smiled Kavanagh’s Portlaoise Panthers head coach, Jack Scully.

“I think we got a little bit caught up by the importance of the game in the first half and we didn’t play the kind of basketball we would have liked, while they [UCD] were really good, which was to be expected.

“But we got in at half-time and said we’ve just got to work a lot more on defence and that’s what we did. We worked hard and it paid off” he said.

Drogheda Wolves’ 83-70 victory over Limerick Celtics in Crescent College on Sunday ensured they kept the heat on Portlaoise at the top of the North Conference table.

Justin Copman and Adam Mulally fuelled Drogheda’s offence with their combined 50 points as the the Louth side produced a strong fourth-quarter surge to pull clear of their Limerick rivals.

Limerick Sports Huskies inflicted a third straight league defeat on SETU Carlow as they returned home from Barrow Centre celebrating a 94-84 point success.

With Sam Finley (22 points) and Ignacio Folgueiras (21) among five players finishing on double figures for Limerick, the visitors got the better of a Carlow side for whom Michael Wallace carded 28 points and 10 rebounds.

Even a massive 43 points and 10 rebounds by Christian Simmons could not inspire Team NorthWest to victory over Moy Tolka Rovers who recovered from a slow start to beat their North Conference rivals 88-74.

Jaja Davis and Elijah Faapito combined for 48 points as the visitors to Foyle Arena fought back from nine points down early in the second quarter to secure their eighth win of the campaign.

Joels Dublin Lions chalked up only their fourth win of the series after a combined 45-point contribution from Brendan Trapper and Harry Scully propelled them to a nailbiting 92-89 victory over Mater Private Malahide in Coláiste Bríde.

A big performance under the boards at both ends by Andres Duran also went some way to seeing the Clondalkin side prevail against a Malahide outfit for whom Nino Hernandez netted 24 points and Matthew Harper 21.

Idris Joyner hit 33 points and soaked up 14 rebounds as SETU Waterford Vikings emerged 84-70 winners over Titans BC in SETU College Hall for their sixth win of the campaign.

A hard-fought derby saw Scotts Lakers Killarney return to winning ways with a 101-93 success against Killarney Cougars in Presentation Gym, Leondre Washington spearheading their attack with a huge 39 points while Braden Bell made a further 28.

Martin Hill and Darius Hopkins were the primary threats for Cougars as they accounted for 61 points on the night.

In the MissQuote.ie Division One, Templeogue produced a huge fourth-quarter performance to turn an eight-point deficit into a 72-61 victory over Abbey Seals Dublin Lions that keeps them snapping at the heels of North Conference leaders iSecure Swords Thunder.

With Sydney Kin again on fire with 30 points and 18 rebounds, Lions looked to be on course to bounce back from their InsureMyHouse.ie Division One Cup Final loss to Limerick Celtics the week before.

But Hannah Byrne and Lynn Tunnah totalled 15 points down the stretch while Alisha Lewis took her game tally to 21 as Templeogue ensured the cup hangover would continue for their Clondalkin rivals.

“We're delighted with the win” said Templeogue head coach Mark Byrne.

“We struggled in the first half with their size and physicality, but I have to give our girls great credit.

“In the second half we more than matched their physicality and kept our composure.

“We brought great intensity with our press which changed the tempo of the game and helped us turn things around in the second half” he said.

iSecure Swords Thunder, themselves, had to battle their way back from 12 points down almost midway through the third quarter to see off Phoenix Rockets 78-72 and remain three points clear at the top of the MissQuote.ie Division One North Conference.

With the aid of Jensen Caretti, who top scored on 25 points and also bagged 15 rebounds at Methody College, Swords had reduced their arrears to a solitary point heading into the final period during which they overtook their hosts, for whom Aaliyah Rice, Jay Asby and Anna Brennan brought in a total of 51 points.

Limerick Celtics failed to build on the momentum generated by their InsureMyHouse.ie Division One Cup success the week before as they were pipped 79-78 by Marble City Hawks on their return to league action in O’Loughlin Gaels GAA Club on Saturday night.

Briana Bailey and Olivia Crigler proved particularly difficult to shackle as they totalled 44 points for the hosts while Samantha Coleman inflicted the bulk of the damage for Limerick with 22.

That loss for Limerick allowed St. Paul’s Killarney extend their lead at the top of the South Conference to 12 points following their comprehensive 94-66 triumph at home to SETU Carlow on Sunday.

Sofia Paska served up a huge performance for the table toppers with 35 points and 18 rebounds while Khiarica Rasheed added a further 27 – a convincing response to the 30 points Jahnae Gyles managed to muster up for Carlow.

Limerick Sport Huskies both started and finished strongly to record a 79-58 victory on the road against Moy Tolka Rovers.

Scout Frame was immense for the visitors as she drained every one of her 14 free throws on her way to a total of 34 points, while Ashley Harte was superb on the defensive side, protecting her boards with 10 rebounds.

Oblate Dynamos had just three points to spare as they edged out McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles 69-66 in Inchicore, Alarie Mayze bagging 19 points for the winners while Cavan’s Destiny Robinson emerged top-scorer on 24.

Results

InsureMyVan.ie Division One

Saturday January 27

SETU Carlow 84 - 94 Limerick Sport Eagles

Team NorthWest 74 - 88 Moy Tolka Rovers

Joels Dublin Lions 92 - 89 Mater Private Malahide

Kavanagh’s Portlaoise Panthers 95 - 78 UCD Marian

SETU Waterford Vikings 84 - 70 Titans BC

Killarney Cougars 93 - 101 Scotts Lakers Killarney

Sunday January 28

Limerick Celtics 70 - 83 Drogheda Wolves

MissQuote.ie Division One