Turn Back Time
Eamonn Keogh reflects on a glorious basketball encounter in Killarney that has lived on long in the memory
Twenty six years ago today, on Saturday, 14 December 1996, a capacity crowd filled the Presentation Gym, Killarney for a thrilling Superleague National Cup quarter-final between Kerry Spring St Paul’s and reigning champions Ballina.
The build-up to this game wasn’t ideal for the Killarney side with top American player Nick Browning going down with glandular fever days before the big game and former Killarney favourite Terry Smith was drafted in as a replacement a day before the
match.
It was the biggest game ever hosted by the St Paul’s club in the Pres Gym and cheered on by an enthusiastic home following, Kerry Spring produced the performance of the season to topple the cup holders on a 102-91 scoreline.
Despite the best efforts of the legendary Liam McHale and teammates, Ballina trailed 49-42 at half time and Kerry Spring maintained their dominance in the second half with four players hitting big double figures.
Terry Smith was jumping out of the gym with 30 points, including six spectacular dunks, while he played a great defensive game on Ballina’s Liam McHale.
The ever reliable Corey Jackson chipped in with a valuable 26 points.
Match MVP Cormac O’Donoghue came back from a short retirement for this encounter and had the game of his life, hitting 22 points and he also did a fine marking job on Ballina’s American Jason Rubrite, who scored just 12 points.
Team captain Vince Daly was equally impressive and contributed 15 second half points in his 19 points total.
Another significant factor in the Killarney victory was the outstanding defensive specialist job by Brian Clarke on Ballina’s American shooting specialist Shannon Sweeney in the second half restricting him to 12 points in that period.
Following this victory Kerry Spring advanced to a semi-final meeting with St Vincent’s of Dublin in January 1997 in the live televised stages of the National Cup.
Kerry Spring St Pauls: Terry Smith (30), Corey Jackson (26), Cormac O’Donoghue (22), Vince Daly (19), Brian Clarke (3), James Fleming (2), James Weldon, Shane Horgan, Mike Daly, Nick Browning.
Ballina: Shannon Sweeney (330, Liam McHale (17), Jason Rubrite (12), Anthony McHale (11), Paul McStay (10), Deora Marsh (6), Gary Kelly (2).
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