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NIVEA fro MEN SuperLeague Final
Mardyke UCC Demons 91(45) – Abrakababra Tigers 81 (51)
UCC Demons were crowned the new NIVEA for MEN SuperLeague Champions after defeating reigning League and Cup Champions Abrakababra Tigers at the Mardyke Arena in Cork.
Demons started the game brightly and raced into an 8-2 lead after two and a half minutes inspired by impressive scores from Damion Matacz. However Luke O’Hea soon answered hitting two big three pointers back to back to steal a slight lead 13-12. Demons then took a change of pace hitting eight points in a one minute spell to put them back in the lead 18-15 with 4.40 remaining on the clock.
Demons were very effective defensively as they switched between zone and man several times throughout the quarter. Damian Matacz was playing very well for the Cork side, getting some remarkable rebounds both offensively and defensively.
A three pointer from Tralee’s O’Hea followed shortly by a lay-up from Worley and Demons finished the quarter in the lead 25-22.
Glen Worley opened the quarter with a two and Clernon soon followed with a three pointer to stretch the lead further. Three points from Smallwood, two from Craig and yet another three from O’Hea kept it tight and the game was all-square for the first time 30-30 with three minutes gone in the quarter.
Demons struggled offensively this quarter and scored just six points in six minutes despite getting many scoring opportunities, as baskets did not seem to be dropping for them. In the meantime, Smallwood and O’Hea were scoring from all over the court for Tralee, but it was an Al Paso combination of Smallwood and Craig that put the Kerry side in the lead for the first time, 34-33. Glen Worley for Demons stepped up to the play and scored 6 points in a row and a three from Niall O’Reilly on the buzzer put the score at 45-51 at half time in favour of the Tigers.
Demons came back fighting in the third and scored four three pointers thanks to Coughlan, O’Reilly and Pope. They had a huge quarter defensively despite getting into foul trouble as Worley picked up his fourth. Tralee only scored 10 points but is was Demons rebounding that kept them in touch and in the remaining two minutes took back the lead 63-62 thanks to O’Reilly and the quarter ended 65-62.
Shane Coughlan opened the final quarter with a three pointer to set Demons on their way as they raced into a 70-62 lead early in the fourth. Demons maintained their tough defence despite Glen Worley being on the bench for the first half of the quarter and the Tigers failed to score for the first three minutes. Coughlan hit another three to put the score at 73-67 meanwhile Tralee had only scored four points from play. Chris Craig was struggling in this quarter after a fall in the third where he seemed to have picked up an injury. With 3.55 on the clock the score was 77-67 and Coughlan was fouled out which left O’Hea on the line shooting two, he scored one. With 2.20 on the clock Quirke missed a crucial lay-up, and two from the line followed by two missed free throws from O’Hea that may have been the turning point for them. In the remaining minute Tralee, in an effort to stop the clock, continued to foul Demons and Pope was on the line four times shooting two which he scored an incredible 8 from 8. Despite a three from Craig and another from O’Hea Tralee could not catch the winning Demons and the game eventually finished on a scoreline of 91-81 and Demons were crowned deserving winners for the first time since 1989.
MVP: Patrick Pope - Demons
Top Scorers
Demons
G. Worley 22
P. Pope 21
D. Matacz 14Tigers
L. O’Hea 34
R. Smallwood 20
C. Craig 7
Senior Women’s Final
UL Aughinish 90 (47) – DART Killester 55 (24)
They say that revenge is a dish best served chilled, and the women of UL
Aughinish have waited since January to exact their revenge on a DART
Killester team who not only ended their two year unbeaten run, but who also
relieved them of their National Cup title. And so to the Women's SuperLeague
Final in the Mardyke Arena, where a fired up UL finally got the chance to
get their own back on Killester.UL Aughinish were really fired up, and opened the game with a three pointer
from Dearbhla Breen, and a basket from Neassa O'Keefe. While Bromfield and
Aspell were also on the scoreboard for UL, scores from White, Pierce and
Luke for DART Killester kept the game tight, 9-8 to UL with four minutes
gone.The quarter went downhill from there for Killester, however, as they failed
to score for the remaining six minutes. UL, meanwhile, went on a scoring
spree - a pair of three pointers back to back from Aspell were followed by
an excellent piece of play from O'Keefe, who collected her own rebound to
score the basket and drew the foul, putting UL 19-8 in front with three
minutes to go.Breen, Bromfield and Rachel Clancy all added to Killester's woes. O'Keefe
hit a further seven points, Aspell hit five, to end a completely one sided
quarter 37-8, effectively killing off Killester's chances.The Dublin side started the second quarter on the attack, with baskets from
Brophy and Kissane. Kissane added another two, but with Bromfield and
O'Keefe still finding the range for UL, Killester were unable to make a dent
in UL's lead, and the scores were 45-18, with one and a half minutes to go.
Kissane, Pierce and Morris all continued to work hard for Killester, but
worrying for them, Ashley Luke and Emma Pierce both picked up their third
fouls. Kissane scored again on the buzzer to send the teams in 47-24 at half
time.While Killester had managed to stem the UL tide, and the game was no longer
a one-sided affair, the damage was already done, and Killester were playing
catch up. Aspell opened the scoring in the third, Killester replying with
three pointers from Luke and Maguire. The teams traded baskets throughout
the quarter and with Luke scoring 3 three pointers, the quarter ended 70-44.UL Aughinsh continued their dominance in the final quarter, Bromfield
leading the way, with 11 points. Despite Killester's best efforts, there was
no way back for them, and UL Aughinish ended the 2004/05 SuperLeague season
undefeated, winning the final on a convincing 90-55 scoreline, with Michelle
Aspell picking up the MVP award for the game.Top Scorers
UL Aughinish
M Aspell 29
S Bromfield 20
N O'Keefe 15DART Killester
A Luke 15
C Kissane 10
C White 8
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