Controversy surrounded St Vincent's 86-78 win over Killester in the National Championships final at Neptune yesterday as the winner's coach, Joey Boylan, was given a double technical for protesting and had to leave the gym in the third quarter.
Boylan was incensed when a travel call and not a foul call was made on Andy Meyers as St Vincent's led 58-52. When Boylan failed to discontinue his protest following his first warning he was blown for a second time and had to leave, forcing manager Fintan Reilly to come down to the bench and call the plays in the absence of assistant coach Mark Keenan. Keenan was on court at the time. St Vincent's, however, secured their fifth title when they pulled away in the last quarter of the game after Killester led the match 41-36 going into the second half.
It was much greater efficiency from the line which finally paid off for the winners. Working from an 80 per cent free throw count of 35 from 44 compared to Killester's 55 per cent return of 11 from 20, St Vincent's looked assured of victory in the dying stages when they were able to maintain an eight-point cushion for most of the time, particularly when, with four minutes remaining, both Killester's Mick McMahon and Paddy Kelly fouled out of the game.
A superb overall return from Karl Donnelly, who was 100 per cent accurate from the free-throw line returning 14 from 14, as well as three three-pointers, combined with Dave Donnelly's defensive play on Killester top scorer Damon Shoultz for an excellent overall team performance. Meyers deservedly walked off with the MVP award for St Vincent's which was earned largely from his rebound play of 11 offensive and six defensive takes as well as his contribution of 31 points.
In the women's championship final, Wildcats came through a tough contest to also beat a disappointed Killester 68-61 to claim the title and make amends for their Sprite Cup final defeat at the hands of Tolka Rovers in January. With just seven minutes remaining in the match Killester's hopes were dealt a huge blow when former international June Blount went over on her ankle and had to leave the game. Blount, whose career has been pockmarked with injury, still ended up second highest contributor to Killester's total with 12 points but her creative presence was undoubtedly missed, although, Leesa Grennell stepped up to score nine points in the final quarter for her side.
Wildcats had come through a tougher semi-final than their opponents in a reverse of the cup final, just two points finally separating them from Tolka Rovers in an 84-82 win. Killester had a relatively easy passage in perhaps their best team performance of the season with a 63-45 win over fellow Dublin club Meteors. The game was tight throughout with Killester scoring six points without reply leading up to the break to take a one point lead going into the second half. Jillian Hayes gave Wildcats a two-point advantage going into the final quarter, the teams still locked together 50-48.
It was Wildcats who then pulled away and despite Killester's Denise Walsh on a 15-point total claiming MVP, it was a Catriona White's three-point shot which stretched her side's lead to 64-56.
As the match edged towards conclusion neither team scored for two minutes as a physical confrontation ensued before Hayes put it beyond doubt.
