Killorglin run Killester close in Dublin

MEN’S SUPERLEAGUE Killester 79 Keane’s Killorglin 73

KEANES Supervalu Killorglin travelled up to the capital on Sunday to take on Dublin powerhouse Killester with the visitors going into with confidence after a much better performance against league leaders Templeogue the previous weekend in a game they lost by the minimum. That loss left them with record of 4 wins and 9 losses from their 13 games.

Killester for their part aren’t short of confidence themselves, with a solid away win by 11 points against Neptune in Cork last weekend, and of course, were crowned 2019 cup champions a few weeks ago. These two teams met in the opening rounds of the league already in Killorglin and that game ended in a 3 point win for the men from the Laune.

Eighteen-year old Eoin O’Sullivan is having a fantastic season this year for Killorglin, and the first few minutes of the game were all about him. He made the opening basket from a layup and followed that up with a three pointer to put Killorglin into an early lead. Ciaran Roe responded in kind for Killester before another outstanding Killorglin youngster Adam Donoghue got in on the act. He made the maximum from two drives to the basket with another from O’Sullivan sandwiched in-between, after a fantastic spin move from him. Killorglin changed Ameri- cans at this stage and brought in Shaq Dance for Stacey Lambert and also welcomed back Daragh Jones, who replaced Daniel Jackobitus, who was suffering from a flu and wasn’t at his best. Jones immediately announced his return from a long term injury with an offensive rebound and basket. The final score of the quarter came from Dance, which left it Killester 15 Killorglin 20.

Killorglin continued this good form into the second quarter, and two scores from big man Ivan Bogdanovic after being fed by yet another 18-year old, Liam Croke, kept the Killorglin scoreboard ticking over. Lambert got in on the act from under the board while Ivan Bogdanovic was causing Killester all sorts of problems, using his lanky frame to maximum effect. Killester are not a top team for no reason, and they were not going to go away, and Roe, Garcia Hoyos and Royce Williams were making enough to keep them within shouting distance of Killorglin. Shaq hit another three to end the quarter which left the half time score Killester 33 Killorglin 37

This game was fairly low scoring so every basket was going to be vital and Killorglin knew that going out. Bogdanovic slam dunked the ball to get the house rocking before player coach Declan Wall introduced himself to the hall with back to back three pointers. Adam Donoghue and Daragh Jones both made buckets but Killester were making scores of their own from outside and managed to pull back the deficit, and indeed, got their noses in front by the time the buzzer went to indicate the end of the third, with the score Killester 58 Killorglin 54

The final quarter was always going to be an exciting one with only two scores separating the sides. Unfortunately for Killorglin, it was Killester who got the first couple of baskets, primarily from the hands of Roe. Daragh Jones was playing like he had never been away and after he made another laid up basket, it left the score at 70-62 in favour of the Dubs. Killorglin have been a revitalised team in recent weeks though and they kept driving on, trying desperately to pull back the deficit. Wall, Donoghue and Jones were all playing like their lives depended on it and they managed to get within five points of Killester before time ran out.

Killorglin don’t play next weekend after the withdrawal of Swords Thunder from the league so they now prepare for the visit of UCD Marion on February 23 in what is now a vital game for Killorglin.