Under 20 National League Plate semi-final
St Pauls’ 82
Killester 80
(after overtime)
Report: Enda Walshe
The ladies’ squad of St Paul’s basketball club won’t be the only ones chasing national honours in the coming weeks as the under 20 men’s team set a hot pace at Sutton High School in Dublin against powerhouse club Killester in the national league plate semi-final.
Despite getting the better of established clubs Neptune and St Vincent’s earlier in the competition, there was viewed as a big step up against the fancied northside club. But the team produced a superb performance in the first half though they had to withstand an onslaught in the second before pulling through in overtime.
It sets up a final appearance in the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght on Saturday, April 12 with a 2.00pm tip-off.
Good work by Jack O’Sullivan, Eoin Carrol Mark helped St Paul’s into a 23-18 first quarter advantage and, defensively, they were solid thanks to the intensity of Oisin Spring, John Hughes and Cian Forde.
The second quarter really saw the visitors push home the advantage with Eoin Carroll dominant in the paint with good promptings from O’Sullivan and Sheehan and they opened up a 44-33 lead at half-time.
St Paul’s were 57-40 to the good with four minutes to go in the third quarter but Killester, sensing the game was slipping from them, pulled it back to a four-point game heading for home, 57-53.
John Broderick with two early baskets tied it up but Carroll, Sheehan and O’Sullivan helped to clear the St Paul’s heads and maintained parity at 63-63. Hughes and Sheehan made a break for home, helping their side into a 70-65 lead, but the Killester effort failed to wilt and the game went to overtime with the scoreboard reading 72-72.
The exchanges were hot and heavy with O’Sullivan impressing to again make it a four-point game, 82-78. Sheridan made it nervy halving the deficit but the St Paul’s defence held out and qualified for the showpiece where they will play another Dublin club Templeogue.
St Paul’s: Jack O’Sullivan (28), Eoin Carroll (21), Mark Sheehan (13), John Hughes (8), Shane Daly (7), Oisin Spring (5), Cian Forde, Adam Whitty, TJ O Sullivan, Cathal Spring, Dara O’Sullivan.
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