Crowley hits the vital points

Maree 66Blue Demons 64

MAREE Basketball Club’s success at national level continues. Before an enthusiastic attendance in the National Basketball Arena,Tallaght on Saturday afternoon, they edged out Cork’s Blue Demons 66-64 in a pulsating U20 National Cup Final.

Maree’s Con Crowley was the MVP, while team-mate Liam Conroy was top-scorer with 17 points. The U20 Final was the last game for this remarkable Maree team who have navigated through their underage career unbeaten in their age group for nine years, all the way from under 12 to under 20.

Blue Demons had already suffered at the Marees’ hands in many finals over the years, and were determined to get a win at the last chance available – the 2011 Final of the U20 National Cup.

From St Mary’s, Castleisland they had recruited 6’7” Pádraig Lucey, star of the Kerry club’s win in the 2010 U18 National Cup Final. Demons had beaten UCD Marian, Tolka Rovers and Swords to earn their slot in this year’s final, and were six for six to date in this season’s Cork U20 league. Meanwhile, defending champions Maree had dispatched Longford Falcons, Templeogue and Neptune.

There were no less than 19 leads changes during the game; Maree’s biggest was seven and Demons’ was three The teams were tied on seven occasions. Maree led for 29 of the 40 game minutes and Demons for six.

For all that, it came down to the last Demons’ shot, with less than a second to go, and Maree up by two. Demons missed, Maree won, the Under 20 National Cup came back to Galway and an amazing nine-year unbeaten record was set.

Both teams started in man-to-man defence, with Maree starting Captain Liam Conroy, Con Crowley, Colm O’Hagan, Ken Hansberry and Tomas Mitkus. Demons’ starters were Captain Shane Buckley, Padraig Lucey, John Carmody, Luke O’Mahony and Mark O’Leary.  

Right from the tip-off, the intensity was ferocious as the teams tested the mettle of each other’s defences. Demons first three points came from the free throw line, as Lucey, then Buckley drove hard and were fouled. In all, Demons scored six free throws in the first quarter, out of a total of 16 points.

All of Maree’s 15 points came from play, including two three-pointers from Conroy and one from Hansberry. George Rahmani put in shifts for Maree, pulling down two big offensive rebounds. Enda Walsh also entered the fray. O’Hagan stole the ball and ran in two lay-ups.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.