Moycullen pounce late to claim first win of the season

Date Published: 08-Nov-2012

UCD Marian 72

Moycullen 77

It took two periods of extra time, but Moycullen finally secured their first win of the Superleague season at the weekend, beating a highly rated UCD Marian outfit in Dublin.

The win provides the perfect build up for the team as it prepares for a big match this weekend when old foes DCU Saints come to NUIG on Saturday for a 3.45pm tip-off, which will be attended by Setanta Sports, which is filming the match for its new Irish basketball show.

“I hope we get everyone in basketball in Galway to come out and support the team this Saturday. The guys have been working really hard and are getting closer and closer to where we want to be,” said Moycullen head coach, Salva Camps.

This matchup provided an all-time classic last season, resulting in a dramatic final second basket by Saints that pushed the contest into overtime before the visitors from Dublin finally edged out a one point win.

Another similarly tight affair looks likely this Saturday. Saints, like Moycullen, earned a narrow win over Marian earlier this season. They have one of the best defensive backcourts in the country and are led by Irish international Emmet Donnelly, who will have to be contained if they are to be beaten.

Moycullen will enter the game with renewed confidence, however, after outlasting UCD Marian last weekend. What is most encouraging for Camps’ charges is that they dominated for the majority of the contest, leading for all but a few minutes.

An excellent start with some superb displays of team defensive saw the men from Galway earn an early lead that they were not to relinquish for much of the game.

Pat Sullivan, who finished with 30 points, was able to find an array of ways to score while Camps, back from injury, controlled happenings from the point. The stand-out display, however, came from James O’Brien, who returned to Moycullen this year after a season in America.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.