Cougars devour Saints in Senior Men’s Cup contest

SENIOR MEN’S CUP DIVISION 2 Killarney Cougars 66 St Josephs 55

COUGARS hosted St Josephs at the Pres Gym and a competitive game saw the Cougars make home advantage count. Cougars started well with three pointers by Alan Flynn,

Marius Dailyde and Darren Gaffey helping Cougars to a 20-14 first quarter lead. The teams were basket for basket in the second quarter with Cougars holding the lead 38-30 at half time with the visitors enjoying a good spell with Thomas Sexton and Thomas Scanlon with six points keeping the visitors in contention.

Cougars dominated the third quarter thanks to their strength on the boards through Dan Doonan and Thomas Armonas and the three point shooting of Darren Gaffey as he added a couple to stretch the lead to 56-41.

St Josephs were chasing the game and reduced the lead to six points early in the final quarter but Cougars responded well and secured the win three pointers at the right time again from Gaffey and Alan Flynn to see Cougars through to a quarter-final meeting with Tralee Tigers.

Best for Cougars Darren Gaffey 16pts, Tomas Armonas 13pts , Alan Flynn, David Bartlett and Dan Doonan, St Josephs best performances came from Thomas Scanlon, Gerard Moloney, Thomas Sexton and Carrig McNulty.

ACADEMY BOYS CUP Killarney Cougars 25 KCYMS 17

COUGARS produced a good team performance to overcome the Killorglin boys in entertaining game at the Pres Gym.

The visitors led by one point in an exciting first quarter 5-4 with Niall Grady impressing for KCYMS. Cougars had a good second quarter to lead by three points at halftime thanks to good play by the impressive David Butler and Fergal Murphy.

The sides went basket for basket in the second half with baskets by Jack O’Sullivan and Ronan Bennett keeping Cougars ahead despite Sean Griffin replying for the visitors. Cougars finished the game the stronger with good home support and brothers Fergal and Eanna Murphy got the insurance baskets late on to see Cougars secure the win and advance to meet Rathmore Ravens in the quarter finals.

U-18 BOYS DIVISION 1 Gneeveguilla 79 St Brendan’s 69

THIS was a close contest of exceptional skill levels and high scoring.

St Brendans led 40-38 at the half and 57-52 after three quarters. They were led by Rap Buditudas (18 pts), Padraig Fleming (17 pts), and Stephen Bowler (12 pts). Gneeveguilla had a strong final quarter, scoring 27 points and they won the game by 10 points. They were led by Ronan Collins (34 pts), Sean Clifford (14 pts), and Lorcan Keane (13 pts).

U-18 BOYS DIVISION 2 Gneeveguilla 50 Rathmore 45

GNEEVEGUILLA stormed out to a big lead early and led 27-9 at the half.

They were led by Evan Cronin (20 pts) and Danny O’Callaghan (15 pts). Rathmore rallied well in the second half, led by Dan Murphy (14 pts) and Darragh Rahilly (17 pts), but just came up short, losing by just five points.

U-16 BOYS DIVISION 1 CUP St Marys 50 Gneeveguilla 55

ST Marys were host to Gneeveguilla on Thursday last in a high scoring, intense Under 16 Boys Cup tie throughout.

Gneeveguilla had a big opening quarter with top scorer for the game, Ronán Collins hitting 10 of their 19 point in the opening period while for St Marys it was PJ Curtin and Daniel Kelly who were the big threats, but the home side trailed by nine at the end of the first.

St Marys had the better second quarter and narrowed the gap marginally. Shane McGaley and Dara Culhane joining Kelly and Curtin to hit a total of fourteen points for the quarter, but again Collins was on target as was Mark Cronin for Gneeveguilla. The half-time score was 31 points to 26 in favour of the visitors.

The third quarter saw the sides trade basket for basket. Dara Culhane won some great ball under the boards for St Marys and registered six points, Kelly added seven. Both Ronán Collins and Daniel Collins along with Paudie Murphy kept the visitors in touch. By the end of the quarter St Marys had reduced the gap to four points and it was still very much anyone’s game.

St Marys had a huge opening in the final quarter and the sides were level mid way through. They suffered a loss in Daniel Kelly mid way through as he picked up an injury. Despite their best efforts a strong Gneeveguilla side finished well and took the game by five points.

ST MARYS: Daniel Kelly 17, PJ Curtin 16, Dara Culhane 11, Shane McGaley 4, Sean Cronin 2.

GNEEVEGUILLA: Ronán Collins 22, Paudie Murphy 9, Daniel Collins 8, Alex Mihailos 6, Mark Cronin 5, Paudie O’Leary 5.

U-14 DIVISION 2 BOYS St Pauls 55 StAnnes24

AFTER their successful Castleisland Christmas Blitz, St Pauls Under 14 boys returned to county league duties, continuing their good form with a home win against St Annes on Friday evening at the Killarney Sports and Leisure Centre.

Although sluggish in the opening quarter, which ended with 10-8 in favour of the visitors, St Pauls found good form in the second quarter clocking up 14 points, while holding the St Annes scoreless.

The half-time score was 22-10. In the second half, the home team continued to work hard and built up a 19 point lead by the three quarters mark on a score line of 35-16.

In the final quarter St Pauls pushed on again, and with the visitors tiring, the home side used the bench to run out as comfortable winners.

ST PAULS: Senan O’Leary (14), Luke Crowley (13), Matt Horgan (6), Borja Fernandez (6), Darragh O’Brien (6), Conor Gammell (4)

ST ANNES: Hugh Walsh (8), Colin O’Callaghan (6), Colm O’Shea (4), Luke Ring (4), Brian McCarthy (2)

Under 10 Blitzes

THE third blitz day of the season for our Under 10 teams goes ahead next Sunday in Moyderwell Gym Tralee, Farrenfore and Killorglin Sports Complex, 40 teams and nearly 500 player will be in action at the three venues. Fixtures will be issued to clubs secretaries this week.

Table Officials Course

THE Level 1 Table Officiate Course goes ahead this Friday in Castleisland the course is now fully subscribed and those registered to attend should contact their club secretaries for the full course details.