South East Swifts secure IWA National Cup final place with 59-32 triumph over Titans BC

Swifts will take on Rebel Wheelers in Tallaght after Joseph Hargow, Jack Managan and Tadgh Buckley combine for 49 points to send Swifts through to the final.

Swifts came out of the traps the quickest of the two sides, with Jack Managan getting them into a fast 8-2 lead in the opening minutes of the game. Scores from Xtremea Ewean and Ethan Leonard managed to bring Titans back to a one-score game, but Titans still managed to bring a four-point lead with them into the second quarter.

The second quarter would be more of the same, with Swifts being too clinical for the Titans to keep up with. Ethan Leonard scored a three-pointer late in the second to reduce the deficit to six, but a Joseph Hargow shot with 13 seconds left on the clock gave South East Swifts an eight-point cushion as the half-time break came.

Tadgh Buckley came out with a strong third-quarter performance for Swifts, with eight of his 18 points coming in the third period, as Swifts really put the foot down as the second half began. Despite it being Titans' highest scoring quarter of the game, they still lost the third quarter 16-10.

The final quarter brought South East Swifts their most dominant quarter yet. Hargow scored nine of his 17 points, and Managan got six of his 14 as Swifts scored 21 points in the final quarter to put a stamp on their semi-final victory and send a message to their National Cup final opponents.

The win sets up a date for Swifts against Rebel Wheelers, who are hunting for a seventh consecutive IWA National Cup.

Quarter Scores: Q1: 6-10, Q2: 8-12, Q3: 10-16, Q4:8-21

Game Scores: Q1: 6-10, Q2: 14-22, Q3: 24-38, Q4: 32-59

Titans BC:

Ethan Leonard (7), John Blake (2), Sean McCormack (0), Stephen Melvin (11), Xtremea Ewean (6), Patrick Tierney (6), Val McCormack (0), Tom Doherty (0).

South East Swifts:

Caoimhe Byrne (0), Liam Blake (DNP), Seamus Wall (0), Robbie Roche (0), Joseph Hargow (17), Jack Managan (14), Adam Homan (2), Patrick O’Neill (6), Michael Murphy (DNP), Sophie Denieffe (2), Tadgh Buckley (18).