Kelly boys in top form as Mary’s upset odds in decider
St. Mary’s College 79
St. Vincent’s 68
WITH a scintillating and controlled up-tempo performance, St Mary’s College annexed their first ever All-Ireland basketball title in the National Arena in Tallaght on Tuesday afternoon by overcoming hot favourites St. Vincent’s Dublin in the final.
This was the Galway boys’ highest score of the competition and a testament to their courage for the big day event, not being overawed by their more fancied opponents.
With point guard Eoghan Kelly on fire in the early stages and big man Ladmy Sila playing the game of his life, St. Mary’s dominated the contest. They were hitting scores from inside and out, Kelly’s six points, Sila’s eight, combined with a sweet three from Ruairí Grealish, helped to give them a 23-18 advantage at the end of the first quarter.
On the other hand, Vincent’s danger man Martin Neary, who had been averaging 39 points a game in the competition, was being well marshalled by Seán Kelly and Keiaronne Virginio, scoring only six points for a Dublin side struggling for any sort of consistency on offence.
On the resumption, Neary and Vincent’s other big man, Emmanuel Esuku, began to find their range combining in the second quarter for 20 points, edging their side ahead for the only time in the game as the first half drew to a conclusion.
Eoghan Kelly, with a fine a display of shooting and driving to the basket as one will see at this level, kept St. Mary’s in touch. Two late scores from Diarmuid Mulkerrins, a brace from Kelly, a Sila tap-in and a sleight of hand pass from Virginio to Kelvin Samson completed the half time scoring for Mary’s, back in front on a score line of 43-41.
The third quarter belonged to Mary’s Captain Seán Kelly. Leading by example and showing the way to the basket, he hit 10 points, the last score being an outrageous steal under the basket and having the presence of mind to throw up an overhead shot on the buzzer.
With the elder Kelly now on the rampage and Grealish adding another crucial three pointer, Mary’s weathered the storm and continued to make life tough for the Vincent’s big men on defence. By the end of the quarter, the Galway lads had opened up a six point lead, 64-58.
St. Vincent’s threw everything into the final quarter, pressing full court, but with Eoghan Kelly running the show at the point, Mary’s forged ahead, the Kellys combining for 11 of 15 points. Christian Maragay tried his best to keep the Dubliners in the game hitting three crucial baskets on the trot, but Mary’s were in control and not in the frame of mind to do anything but win their first All-Ireland.
For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.