Titans V An Cearnog Nua Moycullen

Senior Mens Cup

Titans  67 v Moycullen 72 (overtime)

Top scorers
P Freeman 24     James Loughnane 27
P Peldzius 18      C Nihill 15
D O'Keeffe 11    P O'Brien 6

Moycullen overcome Titans in epic encounter

Neighbours Titans and Moycullen served up a classic encounter in the first semi-final.  Rinvyydas Visocas opend for Titans and from then it basket for basket.  Titans took an early lead but Moycullen came back strongly through Cian Nihil to lead by two with 2.40 remaining in the quarter.  An intentional foul call on Moycullen put Paul Freeman at the line for Titans and they led by two 18 to 16 at the end of the first.

The victorious Moycullen side winners of an epic contest with the Titans

The second quarter continued at the same pace.  Sides were level at 30 apeice with two remaining.  James O'Brien and Nollaig Cunningham exchanged baskets but O'Brien came back to tie it at 33 apeice at the break.

Into the third quarter it was still neck and neck.  With four minutes remaining it was 44:41 in favour of Moycullen.  Paul Freeman was having an impact under the boards, however, and Titans came back to take the lead at 51 to 45 at the end of the third.

Things were still tight right through the fourth quarter.  Paulius Peldzius for Titans and Nollaig Cunningham for Moycullen traded scores but Titans gradually pulled ahead.  With 4.28 on the clock they led by seven but poor foul shooting, when they only hit one of eight, meant that Moycullen were still in it down the stretch.  James Loughnane narrowed the gap and Visokas was called for a foul and then gave away a tech to give Moycullen four free throws.  They could only hit two of the four though and when Peldzius hit one of two at the other end it was a two point game 65 to 63 with 18 seconds remaining.  Dylan Cunningham was put to the line for Moycullen and he tied the game to send it into overtime.

Titans David O'Keeffe put them ahead with one from the line but James Loughnane made the play of the game to make a steal and lay-up to give Moycullen the edge.  Dylan Cunningham made another bucket to put space between the teams and try as they might Titans could not close the gap and Moycullen ran out the victors on a score of 72 to 67.