Galway clubs were resigned to basketball year wipe out

GALWAY’S four national league clubs say last week’s decision by Basketball Ireland to declare the entire 2020/21 season as a write-off was inevitable, but they hope a fresh approach is taken towards the treatment of indoor sport in the future.

Basketball Ireland bowed to the inevitable and finally declared the 2020/21 season as a complete write-off, ditching its plans to run the various domestic cup competitions at some stage before the summer.

A decision to scrap the national leagues had been taken in November, but at the time a hope was expressed that the various senior cup competitions would be played at a later stage, depending on Government restrictions.

However, following a meeting of the 10 National Committees of Basketball Ireland last week, the decision was taken to draw a line under the 2020/21 season, which means the entire basketball season, from Super League on a national level, right down to local U12 competitions, have officially been scrapped.

Spokespeople for Maree BC, Moycullen BC, NUIG Mystics, and Titans BC have all told Tribune Sport that the decision was inevitable, given the grip Covid-19 has on the country, but they are hopeful of seeing some kind of competitive basketball over the sport’s traditional ‘downtime’ months of the summer. A failure to see that, they say, could spell the death knell for the sport.

“Yea it was inevitable and it to be honest it is a relief too, to have that closure in a way,” said Paul O’Brien, head coach with Women’s Division 1 side, NUIG.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App

Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.

Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.

Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite  HERE.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.