Keane’s Killorglin through to President’s final

MEN’S PRESIDENT’S CUP SEMI-FINAL Neptune 82 Keanes Supervalu Killorglin 87

THERE was huge excitement in Killorglin basketball circles for this weekend, as for the first time in the club’s history they had three teams in National cup semi-final action, with all three teams playing in Neptune Stadium in Cork.

First up was the Keane’s Supervalu Killorglin National League team, who were playing Irish powerhouse and Cup holders Neptune, in their own back garden. Even though Killorglin were top of the league going into this game, there is nothing between these teams and when they met in the league last month, Keanes got the win, but with only three points to spare.

Neptune came out of the blocks flying and scored straight from the tip off. Indeed, Killorglin looked a bit overawed by the occasion, and Neptune went 8-0 up within a minute, primarily through the shooting of Roy Downey.

Indeed they increased this lead to 12-0 after three minutes before Killorglin finally got off the mark with a three-pointer from December’s player of the month, Daniel Jackubitus. Killorglin then started to eat into the Neptune lead, and the lead was reduced to one with four minutes left in the quarter. However, Downey again caught fire and Neptune finished the quarter strongly, and led by 26 to 17 at the first break.

Coach Ignus Sijanus then made an inspired change, bringing former Neptune and Irish International Ian McLaughlin into the game and he made all the difference in this quarter.

He is captain of the team and he showed why, going on to finish the half with sixteen points, and leaving Neptune with a single point lead at half time. Neptune 44 Keanes Supervalu Killorglin 43.

The third quarter was where Killorglin caught fire, and in particular Daniel Jackubitus shot the lights out. Jackubitus swished three three-pointers in a row, and with six minutes left on the clock, he hit his 20th point of the game to put Keanes ahead by three points.

What Roy Downey was doing for Neptune in the first half, Jackubitus did for Killorglin in the second, and he was killing Neptune from outside. American point guard Kevin Grey was driving to the basket and his offloads to huge Croatian center Ivan Bogdanovic were also reaping significant scores for Killorglin. Old timer Declan Wall nailed a three-pointer from his favourite spot on the floor, before that man Downey again got fouled, and when he made the resulting free throws, the score was Neptune 61 Killorglin 68 going into the last.

Neptune’s American Marshall reduced the lead to 5, 70-65, but Jackubitus again scored another three pointer – he was just ridiculous from downtown, before Downey dunked for the reply, and added a bonus point after being fouled on the way.

The amount of pennants hanging on the wall were enough to tell you that Neptune were not going to go away without a fight and when Marshall made a massive dunk, it reduced the lead to just three points with six minutes left on the clock.

The big difference at this stage was that Neptune were on team fouls, and Kevin Grey started to make hay from this. He kept driving at the board and getting fouled and this adopted mid Kerry man just does not miss from the free throw line, and the lead went up to nine again.

Neptune again hit back, with scores from Connolly and Marshall, before Declan Wall hit a free throw to keep Killorglin four ahead. With a frantic end to the game, it was right and proper that Daniel Jackubitus hit the score of the game with a fallaway jump shot over Marshall to ensure that history was made, and Killorglin were into their first ever National Cup final.

TOP SCORERS

NEPTUNE: Roy Downey 32, Jarrel Marshall 20, Owen Connolly 12

KEANES SUPERVALU KILLORGLIN: Daniel Jackubitus 28, Ivan Bogdanovic 17, Ian McLaughlin 16