Subway Schools U19 B Boys Cup Final
Colaiste na Coiribe (Galway) 59 Colaiste Pobail Bheanntraí (Cork) 51
Colaiste na Coiribe of Galway and Colaiste Pobail Bheanntraí of Cork dished up an absolutely thrilling Subway Schools U19B Boys Cup final at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght with Colaiste na Coiribe winning out in the end, 59-51.
Bantry set the pace early on with Liam Cotter getting them off the mark early to edge them ahead. Big three point scoring from game MVP, Coiribe’s Cronan Ward and Máirtin Ó Conghaile closed the gap at the other end, but Bantry’s Kevin Clifford replied with some big three pointers, and scores from Shane Murray saw the Cork team into a 12-20 lead at the end of the first.
It was merely a settling period for Colaiste na Coiribe though, as they came out of the traps all guns blazing in the second quarter. Big shooting from Bantry’s TJ Sullivan, Cotter and Murray were immediately responded to at the other end - with Ward again to the fore, while Cathal Madden, James MacLochlainn and Oisin Ó Gormaile added some big scores to tie the games level at half time, 27-27.
A thrilling third quarter followed, with Colaiste na Coiribe edging into the lead after four minutes, and scores from Ó Gormaile, Ó Laighléis and James MacLochlainn saw them edge further in front. A massive three pointer from Shane Murray for Bantry was the reply, and this was followed by another big three pointer from the high-scoring Thomas Flynn. Momentum was firmly with Colaiste na Coiribe though, and they held the lead, 44-38 going into the last.
A frantic fourth quarter had the crowd on the edge of their seats as scores were at a premium for both sides. Cathal Madden got Colaiste na Coiribe off the mark, and scores from Ward and Ó Gormaile followed. Bantry weren’t going down without a fight though and superb three-point shooting once more from Flynn, Murray and Cotter closed the gap right back, but time ran out on the comeback and Colaiste na Coiribe were crowned champions by eight points.
COLAISTE NA COIRIBE (GALWAY): Cathal Madden (6), James MacLochlainn (12), Tom Ó Mathúna, Cronan Ward (19), Oisin Ó Gormaile (18), Ross Ó Nualláin, Cian Ó hIarnáin, Oisín Turley, Eoin Ó Domhnaill, Conor Ó Bruada, Nicky Ó Laighléis (1), Máirtin Ó Conghaile (3).
COLAISTE POBAIL BHEANNTRAÍ (CORK): Shane Murray (10), Thomas Flynn (16), Daniel Downey, Liam Cotter (14), Sean Brady, Dylan Clifford, Kevin Clifford (9), Daniel O’Sullivan, Niall O’Keeffe, Hugh Fitzgerald, TJ Sullivan (2), Michael Folan.
MVP: Cronan Ward (Colaiste na Coiribe)
The Colaiste na Coiribe team celebrate with the cup after the Subway All-Ireland Schools Cup U19 B Boys Final match between Colaiste na Coiribe and Colaiste Pobail Beanntrai at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght, Dublin. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
