Today saw a new page written in the short history of Colaiste Ailigh as their Under 16 basketball team reached their first ever All-Ireland final.
The end of a hectic week saw the Letterkenny school outscore St Marys, Balasadare by 40 to 32 in a frantic All Ireland semi final in The Abbey Gym in Donegal Town.
Colaiste Ailigh had tried all week to change today fixture to earlier in the week as half their players were in Dublin participating in The BT Young Scientist. Their appeals fell on deaf ears and four of the six travelled home for this historic fixture.
A combination of nerves and jet lag saw the Letterkenny school make the worst of starts and were 12-0 down with all scores coming from the best player on display Tobias Brockman after 6 mins. This was compounded with Col Ailigh player Maitis Mac Ceallabhuí being withdrawn with an ankle injury and Sean Mac A tSaoir picking up two early fouls pushing him back to the bench.
In the 7th min Colaiste Ailigh captain Oisín O Cleirigh hit Colaiste Ailigh’s first points quickly followed by 3 pts from the games busiest player Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí but Colaiste still struggled with Brockman who brought his tally to 17 pts to Col Ailigh’s 6 pts after the first quarter.
The short break gave Colaiste Ailigh the time needed to get a strategy together to deal with the threat of Brockman.
Colaiste charged into the quarter and got their shooting boots going with Evin Breathnach, Sean Mac and O Cleirigh all scoring while Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí with help from Odhran Mac Fhionghaile managed to keep Brockman and St Mary’s to another to 2 pts. Halftime Colaiste Ailigh 17 St Mary’s 19 with all the momentum in the Donegal outfits corner.
Halftime was what St Marys needed and came out in the 3rd quarter getting scoring help for Brockman from Kladius Bak(5) and Ross Farrell(2) pulling St Marys in control. Colaiste Struggled to shake the nerves but kept plugging away with scores from O Cleirigh and Mac A tSaoir. End of a tence 3rd quarter. Colaiste Ailigh 26 St Mary’s 28.
The final Quarter saw the Colaiste captain catch fire and push Colaiste 4 pts to the good with 4 mins to go. St Marys returned to the reliable Brockman who pulled Marys back level with 4 pts following some missed opertunities by Jeaic Mac, Odhran and Pearse Gallagher who a this point was having it all his own way under the boards. 2 mins left and it was all square.
Sean Mac took a great pass from Mac Fhionngaile to push Colaiste back in front and another quick basket from O Cléirigh put Colaiste right in the driving seat.
St Marys threw caution to the wind but the tenacious Mac Ceallabhuí refused Brockman the space to get his team back in the game and Oisin O Cleirigh added to St Marys misery with another 4 late points.
Colaiste Ailigh 40 St Marys 32
Colaiste Ailigh coach Mac Ceallabhuí was delighted with the result after the long week and a number of his players missing.
“We can’t wait for the final in two weeks and I hope Niall, Pearse, Odhran and Caoimhín can bring some silverware back from BT Young Scientist after sprinting back to Dublin for the presentation ceremony.
At the final whistle the largest cheer of the day was to be heard in Rang a 6 in Gaelscoil Adhmanain where Muinteoir Meabh was following the game on Twitter.
Colaiste Ailigh
Niall Ó Hannaigain, Adam Ó Cnaimhsí, Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí (3), Caoimhín Mac Lochlainn, Evin Breathnach (4), Sean Mac a tSaoir (9), Maitis Mac Ceallabhuí, Oisín Ó Cléirigh (24) Odhran Mac Fhionghaile, agus Piarais Ó Gallachoir.
St Mary’s
Kladius Bak (5), Ross Farrell (2), Patrick O Connor, Tobias Brockman (26), Aaron Boles, Artemius Serikovo, Philip Kilcullen.
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