Basketball: The Superleague title will remain in north Dublin for another year after Killester overcame Ballina 95-90 at the University of Limerick yesterday to succeed neighbours St Vincent's as champions.
It proved a clean sweep for Dublin clubs as DCU Mercy overcame host club UL Aughinish in the women's decider, 79-65.
The all northern conference tie in the men's final became a certainty after Killester beat UCC Demons 77-71 and cup champions Tralee Tigers were dispensed with by Ballina 103-95, despite a 38-point contribution from the Kerry team's American Wilder Auguste, in Saturday's semi-finals. Auguste was serving a three-game ban but played on a technicality. In the Superleague a player's suspension is temporarily lifted if he is awaiting an appeal hearing.
Killester's Paddy Kelly was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) after a stand-out final performance that included 17 points, while their top scorer, Pole Michael Goj, finished on 21 points.
Robert Taylor shot 24 points for Ballina but the fact that Liam McHale's 14-point haul became so important merely highlighted the absence of Ballina's other dual Gaelic football star. Ronan McGarrity was absent due to illness. McHale has surely earned the right to return to retirement after yesterday's display.
Killester led 47-40 at the interval and despite Taylor dragging the Westerners back to a 76-75 deficit, the Mark Keenan coached northern conference champions had too many scoring options. Craig Walls and the father and son combination Jerome and Isaac Westbrooks all contributed.
While the cup remains the more prestigious accolade, it's also broadcast live by RTÉ. Put it this way, Kieran Donaghy and Micheal Quirke made themselves available, spurning Gaelic football, for last January's cup decider while they were off on league duty with the Kerry footballers yesterday.
However, the forthcoming licensing scheme to be adopted by Basketball Ireland may lend more credence to the end of season event.
Meanwhile, in the women's final, Mary Fox was named MVP as UL Aughinish suffered their first ever final defeat to DCU Mercy, also at the UL Arena.
Fox finished with 29 points for the north Dublin university team in the 14-point victory. Lisa Palmer top scored for the hosts with 16 but with Suzanne Maguire also breaking the 20-point mark the visitors were in control throughout the second half.
The result was a reversal of the final standings in the regular season but DCU had a psychological edge going into the game having beaten UL twice this season, including victory in Limerick last November.
