ST. JOSEPH'S EDGE WIN

27th Jan 2009

Under 19C Boys All Ireland Schools Cup Final

St Mary's College, Rathmines 58 (35) (N McCarthy 23, R Lennon 22)   St Joseph's Derry 61 (34) (H Barbour 18 pts, K Stanley 16 points, D Quigley 9, L Harris 11) 

MVP; Hugh Barbour (St Joseph's Derry)

St Joseph's Derry overcame a very vocal Mary's support to claim the boys under-19C cup in dramatic style in Tallaght this afternoon.

Manning the lines for St Mary's was Nicholas Fitzsimons and Joey Boylan, the latter part of the St Vincents team that won the very first Men's National Cup in Inchicore.

And the two would have been delighted with their team's start with the partnership of Ronan Lennon and Niall McCarthy on song with a series of baskets to open up an eleven point lead.

But Derry were soon cutting into the lead with Hugh Barbour leading the charge.  And with 3-25 left in the half, the Mary's lead was down to a point.

And although McCarthy put a bit of light between the two with two frees, St Joseph's player Ryan Stanley then left the game on a knife edge to leave the bare minimum between the sides at the break, 35-34 to Mary's.

The third quarter was a see saw affair with St Joseph's having conceded an early basket, going on an unanswered eight point sequence culminating in a basket from Lee Harris

That put St Joseph's up by four points and although Mary's were to counter with baskets from Lennon and Daire Hogan, a lapse in concentration allowed St Joseph's in for two late baskets at the end of the third, to restore Joseph's four point lead.

And so to the final quarter which will live long in the memory of the many who attended this epic contest. 

And courtesy of some terrific combination play from Lennon and McCarthy,  Mary's were back on level terms when Lennon landed his third successive basket to tie the game at 55-55 with four minutes to go.

Joseph's came back with a basket and a one point free from Stanley only for McCarthy to reply with a free at the other end.

It was now getting down to the serious end of things and with 1.20 left on the clock, Quigley had stretched the Joseph's lead to three points.

But Mary's came back again with McCarthy rattling the Joseph's basket before converting one from two from the line with 29 seconds to go.

Mary's then reclaimed possession off the inbound only for Joseph's to win a free, one of which was converted by Ryan Hasson.

It was now all or nothing for Mary's and in the very last play of the game, Richie Maher rattled the basket with the three pointer Mary's needed to take game into overtime.