Under 20 National League quarter-final
St Paul’s, Killarney 78
St Vincent’s, Dublin 76
Report: Enda Walshe
A rousing Under 20 National League quarter-final saw St Pau’ls qualify for the last four in a game that was brimming with quality and no little drama.
St Vincents have a rich basketball heritage and as a long established Superleague club will rarely put out a poor side. The Dubliners had the upper hand in the first half in the St Brendan’s College Gym and, amazingly, outscored St Paul’s in three of the four quarters but it was a power-packed third quarter that set the foundation for the win.
In Valentin Caignet St Vincent’s had a powerful performer and it was the Spaniard and Adam Tynan who posed the early threat. Eoin Carroll and Jack O’Sullivan settled their side into the game and Mark Sheehan hit his customary three early on.
John Hughes hit five points without reply to open a gap but St Paul’s were not without trouble as Oisin Spring picked up early fouls. Cian Forde and Shane Daly hit the floor but Caignet, Tynan, Sean Moran and Joel Muteba gave their side a 22-16 first quarter advantage.
St Paul’s made a forceful start to the second quarter with Jack O’Sullivan hitting a three, Adam Whitty weighing in and Sheehan netting to tighten up the game. Caignet was probing away and Tynan showed he had a good outside shot also.
The second quarter saw St Vincent’s extend their advantage mainly thanks to their accuracy from the free-throw line, something St Paul’s were not as prolific from. Jack O’Sullivan had the score of the quarter going coast to coast with Carroll’s support.
The quarter would end with raised tensions as two technical fouls were called against St Pauls, mainly for questioning refereeing decisions Caignet and Darragh McLoughlin tidied up the scoring to give them a 43-34 half time lead.
Maybe it was a slight sense of injustice that fuelled the home side’s third quarter performance but they absolutely tore into the game. The three amigos Sheehan, O’Sullivan and Carroll set the tone but thanks to Caignets and Muteba’s accuracy it was still a nine-point lead midway through the quarter.
But then came the increased intensity and with the crowd getting into it the blitz started. Shane Daly joined the three amigos party as they went on a 17-0 scoring run and flipped the game on its head, putting St Paul’s 61-53 ahead.
The break may have come at the wrong time as St Paul’s found it hard to bring the temperature back up but Sheehan’s five-point salvo still had them 66-58 clear.
But accurate outside shooting from Sherry and the forceful play of Caignet dragged his team back into it. Amazingly, Sherry put them 69-68 in front with five minutes to go. You could cut the atmosphere with a knife as the lead changed hands five times in the remaining minutes.
Carroll worked his way inside, John Hughes came up with a big three-point play but the dynamic Caignet still had his side 76-75 to the good with a minute to go. But cometh the hour cometh the man and Jack O’Sullivan drove to the basket, drew the foul and made the shot to give his side a two-point lead. It was still a perilous lead but good hustle from Spring wound the clock down and saw St Paul’s head to the last four.
St Paul’s: Jack O Sullivan 23, Eoin Carroll and Mark Sheehan 20 each, John Hughes 10, Shane Daly four, Adam Whitty one, Oisin Spring, Cian Forde, Cathal Spring.
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