Éanna seal dramatic 75-72 comeback win over Limerick Lions in U18 Men’s Billy Coffey National Cup

Éanna recovered from a 25 deficit at one stage, to defeat Limerick Lions 75-72 in the U18 Men’s Billy Coffey National Cup semi-finals at Neptune Stadium on Sunday.

Limerick Lions started excellently, Fred Klimas’ 11 points helping them into a 27-13 lead at the end of the first quarter. Éanna stepped up their defence, illustrated by a fine block by Adam Charles under the basket to stop fastbreak by on Darragh Horkan with 6’30 to go in the second quarter, to leave the scores at 38-25. It was 46-38 to Limerick Lions at half-time following a Horkan layup with a little over a minute to go in the second quarter, he would finish with a game-high 27 points.

Limerick Lions came out of the break with renewed vigour and led 64-43 following a Horkan layup with three minutes to go in the third. Lions would be 22 points to the good by the end of the third quarter, 70-48.

Horkan’s basket, two minutes into the fourth quarter proved to be Limerick Lions final points of the game, they led 72-57 at that stage. Éanna kept their belief and their comeback was ignited by a corner three from Harry Lynch with 7’18” left. A two-point jump shot by Charles brought the game level at 72-72 with two and a half minutes to go. Charles’ driving basket put Éanna into the lead for the first time, 74-72, with 29 seconds remaining and they would cling on for victory, adding a Lynch free throw at the finish.

Adam Charles, Éanna, competes with Kirill Yakovlev, Limerick Lions, during the U18 Men's Billy Coffey National Cup semi-final at Neptune Stadium.

Adam Charles, who scored 22 points in Éanna’s win, said: “Things weren’t looking good at the start, it’s probably the worst quarter of basketball we’ve ever played as a team and we’ve been playing together for like eight years, six years and the second half was the best half of basketball I’ve ever seen this team play. I am just so proud of everyone, all my teammates and Hillary (Netsiyanwa) our coach.”

Quarter Scores:

Q1: 13-27, Q2: 25-19 Q3: 10-24, Q4: 27-2

Game Scores:

Q1: 13-27 23, Q2: 38-46, Q3: 48-70, Q4: 75-72

Éanna BC:

Ashton Glynn (2), Odhran O’Farrell (8), Colm Price (0), Fred Klimas (19), Andy Anderson (DNP), Sam Taylor (0), Jake Moore (0), Darragh Horkan (27), Kirill Yakovlev (16), David Bourke (0), Harry Smith (DNP), Michael Stanners (DNP).

Top Scorers:

Limerick Lions:

Adam McCarthy (3), Bruno Domingos (DNP), Danny Hamill (DNP), Adam Charles (22), Conor Chambers (5), Aodhan O’Neill (DNP), Ryan Bell (22), Patrick Walsh (1), Sam O’Connell (4), Harry Lynch (18), Noah Dodson (DNP).