St.Brendan’s score with final play to defeat Barrow Rovers 61-60 in NICC Men’s National Cup final

Fergal O’Sullivan hit an end of game buzzer beating three to give St. Brendan’s a dramatic 61-60 win over Barrow Rovers to clinch the NICC Men’s National Cup at the National Basketball Arena on Sunday.

The Kerry outfit had possession with 0.8 seconds left on the clock and found the former Garvey’s Tralee Warriors man in space and he hit a nerveless winner. O’Sullivan said: “We don’t do things in half measures in Kerry, but yeah pretty exciting at the end. It was a great battle, they’re a very good team and I am just delighted, it hasn’t really sunk in yet.”

He added, “I looked at the clock and it was 0.8, which allows a catch and shoot. The play was run for Padraig (Fleming), to get Padraig the ball, but I knew getting Padraig with a good back screen would probably get me open and that’s what happened. I didn’t hit a shot all day, I have been injured all week, struggling and the one at the end mattered I suppose.”

This was an extremely tight contest throughout, Barrow Rovers were seven points up early in the first quarter, Jamie Viciana’s basket had them 13-6 up with three minutes to go. St. Brendan’s brought game level at 13-13 when Padraig Fleming unleashed a long range three to beat the end of quarter buzzer.

St. Brendan’s opened up a six-point lead, 19-13, in the third minute of the second quarter after Daniel Bowler rebounded in. A layup and jump shot from the pacy Rowies Leandro and it was 30-26 to Barrow going into the final minute. Leandro would go on to claim the game MVP.  A shotclock beating stepback two point jump shot by Bowler brought back level at the end of the quarter, 30-30, and his game tally was 13 points at that stage, he’d finish with a game-high 22.

The third quarter mirrored the opening half, St. Brendan’s were up by eight, 40-32, following O’Sullivan’s layup. Barrow Rovers responded with a nine point run, started by Francesco Gesess’ three and ended by his fastbreak and layup, to put them 41-40 up. Next it was St. Brendan’s to go on a nine-point run, Padraig Fleming’s basket brought his tally to 20, the Kerry club 49-41 ahead. Barrow Rovers finished with a flourish, to make it a three point game, trailing 49-46. 

It was level once more at 51-51 two and a half minutes into the fourth quarter, following Xabier Mendizabal’s second three of the game. A layup from Jamie Viciana and it was 56-53 to Barrow Rovers with four minutes remaining.

A pair of Rowies free throws had Barrow Rovers up by five, 59-54 with 2’43” to go, however a Bowler layup and two free throws from Aaron Fleming made it a one-point game once more, 59-58. A Viciani free throw stretched the lead marginally, 60-58, into the closing stages, before the late drama saw St. Brendan’s claim victory.

Quarter Scores:

Q1: 13-13, Q2: 17-17 Q3: 16-19, Q4: 14-12

Game Scores:

Q1: 13-13, Q2: 30-30, Q3: 46-49, Q4: 60-61

Barrow Rovers:

Javier Vazquez Hernandez (5), Darshan Umapthi (0), Steve Bleeker (10), Francesco Gesess (5), Rowies Leandro (8), Fco, Javier Cardona (2), Pl Sangamenshwaran (12), Pedro Casraneda (0), Xabier Mendizabal (8), Silva Vera Gonzalo (1), Oscar Farley (DNP), Jamie Viciana (9).

St. Brendan’s:

Fergal O’Sullivan (8), Michael Kelliher (DNP), Ryan Sheehy (3), Liam O’Sullivan (2), Gary Lynch (0), Cian Horgan (DNP), Robert Mulcahy (2), Adam O’Keeffe (DNP), Daniel Bowler (22), Aaron Fleming (4), Padraig Fleming (20).