Éanna miss out on a final spot
KILLESTER defeated Griffith College Éanna 93-74 in the Pat Duffy National Cup semi-finals on Saturday. It sets up a decider with defending champions UCC Demons, who got past EJ Sligo All-Stars 91-77 earlier in the day.
The first quarter was an even one, Griffith College Éanna, who were looking to reach their second Pat Duffy Cup final in three years, had a narrow advantage, 26-24, thanks to Tyland Crawford’s three in the last seconds.
Killester started the second quarter with an 11 point run to make it 33-26.
Sean Jenkins got his first points of the game with three and two point jump shot to reduce the deficit, 33-31, three and a half minutes in.
Not long afterwards Paul Dick racked up eight points in a little over a minute – a corner three, pair of layups and a free throw – to help Killester into a 43-35 lead midway through the quarter, with only Kristijan Andabaka getting on the scoreboard for Griffith College Éanna during the sequence.
A three from Andabaka and a pair of Tyland Crawford free throws saw it level at 45 45 going into the closing stages of the second quarter, only for a trio of free throws from Dick to hand Killester a 48-45 half-time lead.
Griffith College Éanna lost their semi final against Killester 93-74
Two minutes into the third quarter it was level once more, 51-51, after a pair of Kason Harrell free throws.
Killester started to take control of proceedings after that they were up by five after an Isiah Dasher three and a Ciaran Roe layup under the basket making it 58-53.
The gap was ten, 67-57, following Dick’s corner three with four minutes to go in the third quarter.
Killester continued to build a lead, another corner three, this time from Andy McGeever, and they were 72 57 up.
Momentum was with Killester, summed up with an end of quarter buzzer beater from Harrell, which saw him clatter into the perimeter advertising boards in the process, the Dublin side now had a 78-61 lead.
A McGeever driving layup started off the fourth for Killester.
Griffith College Éanna needed to respond, a Stefan Desnica free throw and turnaround jump shot from Jenkins saw them trail 82-64 three minutes in. It was to be Killester’s day, finishing with a 93-74 win.