Mixed emotions for Nobber sides in Tallaght

Gustas the MVP as O'Carolan storm to All-Ireland glory

Fresh from his heroics when boosting Dundalk Ravens to National u-20 Cup success just four days earlier Gustas Pocevicius struck from everywhere on the court as he amassed 28 points to light the way to a 52-45 success for O’Carolan College Nobber over a gutsy Scoil Chaitríona team when the two sides locked horns in the 2024/25 All-Ireland Under-19C Boys Schools Cup decider in the National Basketball Arena on Thursday.

O'Carolan College were certainly made work for it by a Scoil Chaitríona outfit that boasted some big hitters of their own, including captain, Seán O Móráin who emerged from this hard-fought encounter with 21 points to his name.

O’Carolan College hit the ground running in this title game, Pocevicius landing a deuce and Joey Curtis striking from beyond the arc before their opponents opened their account, courtesy of Mark Mac Eochagáin who also served up a three.

The Meath side kept it lit with a further two downtown buckets in quick succession from Pocevicius and Gearoid O’Malley to leave eight between the sides, although Scoil Chaitríona narrowed that gap slightly to five by the close of the first quarter after O Móráin drained efforts from the floor and free-throw line.

A strong start to the second saw Scoil Chaitríona battle their way back to level terms at 14 points apiece when Mac Eochagáin delivered buckets either side of a Tadhg Ó Ceileachair deuce.

O’Carolan College did get going again when Curtis and O’Malley struck in the paint only to see parity again restored when O Móráin and Mac Eochagáin responded in kind.

The Nobber outfit continued to try and break clear, but Scoil Chaitríona did not afford them much distance with only two points separating them at the break as Pocevicius drained buckets from both sides of the arc to see his side 23-21 up heading into the second half.

An eight-point run early in the third, however, did see O’Carolan take a grip on proceedings, Pocevicius made three from the free-throw line, while O’Malley picked up the same amount with his effort from range.

Scoil Chaitríona continued to battle hard to stay in touch, but a buzzer-beating three from Pocevicius dealt them a heavy blow as O’Carolan ended the third with an 11-point advantage (42-31).

But the Dublin side were never going to throw in the towel and reduced their arrears to five with 1.21 left on the clock, Ó Ceileachair found the target from both sides of the arc.

O’Carolan regained their poise down that stretch as the two team captains Pocevicius and O Móráin exchanged threes before the former took two from the free-throw line to ensure victory for his side.

“We came up against a very good Scoil Chaitríona team, but the lads dug deep” remarked O’Carolan College head coach Jonathan Irwin.

“There’s only two club players on our team, but the rest of the lads have really risen to the occasion.

“We’re relying on lads who just have that grit and determination, just true O’Carolan College spirit that just pushed them through in the end” he said.

O’Carolan College - Ciaran O’Hare, Gearoid O’Malley (12), Aaron Lanney, Gustas Pocevicius (28), Eoin Gilsenan, Ronan Cassidy, Lukas Pocevicius, Daithi McGovern, Andrew McGovern, Leon McGovern, Joey Curtis (7), Diarmuid O’Malley, Sean Gillespie, Daire Lynch. Head Coach - Jonathan Irwin.

Scoil Chaitríona - Tadhg Ó Ceileachair (11), Oscar Ó Giollagáin, Oscar Ó Broin, Seán O Móráin (21), Mark Mac Eochagáin (11), Leo Canoine, Dara Ó Cinnéide, Ryan Ó Raghallaigh, Jacob MacAdam, Bailey Mac Liam, Darragh O Muirí. Head Coach - Tanya Ní Uiginn.

HEATBREAK FOR UNDER-16s

There was disappointment for O'Carolan College Nobber in the All=Ireland u-16 C Boys Schools final as St Killian's German School claimed a thrilling 50-49 win.

Sebastian Hartas made all, but one, of his 17 free throws on his way to a huge 45-point total by the close of proceedings, but while the St. Kilian’s skipper did grab the headlines with his MVP-winning performance, huge credit must also go to the Dublin side’s defence that worked the zone so well in the third quarter to restrict their opponents to five in that period.

O’Carolan College certainly played their part in an enthralling final, their own captain Lukas Pocevicius putting up an impressive 24 points.

But, while they enjoyed both a strong start and finish to this game, they struggled to contain the irrepressible Hartas, who proved lethal in the paint.

It was bucket for bucket throughout the opening three minutes of this contest, after which O’Carolan College began to open up a little breathing room as a result of their intense defending.

Indeed, they capitalised on a number of turnovers with Pocevicius and Daithi McGovern combining for 10 points to leave their side 18-11 up by the end of the first quarter.

Hartas did his utmost to keep the Dublin side in contention, the St Kilian’s captain accounting for all 11 of his team’s first-quarter total.

O’Carolan made the early running in the second quarter, Pocevicius and McGovern again getting in to push the Meath team 13 points clear.

But St Kilian’s strung together a five-point run, Hartas proving so efficient from the floor and free-throw line as he took his tally to a stunning 28 points and his team back to within three of their opponents (31-28) by half-time.

That narrow gap remained in place for much of the third quarter, Hartas continued to prove a massive headache for the O’Carolan defence, while Ali Abdelkader also weighed in on the scoring for the Dublin side.

A delightful three from Joris Pintukas saw St Kilian’s take the lead for the first time with just under three minutes to go in the penultimate period, and they continued on to enlarge that advantage to five (41-36) by the end of the third, Hartas’ deadly accuracy showing no sign of abating.

Having managed just five points in the third, O’Carolan needed to find a way of unlocking a St Kilian’s defence.

A superb three and two inside buckets from Pocevicius, together with an Oisin Gilsenan deuce, nudged the Meath team back in front with just over three minutes remaining.

But the lead swapped hands three more times in a gripping finale as Hartas demonstrated ice-cold composure from the free-throw line to clinch a dramatic victory for his team.

St Kilian’s German School - Ben Richey, Ben Rauch, Joris Pintukas (3), Barra Muzellec, Ali Abdelkader (2), Sebastian Hartas (45), Ricardo Curci, Andy Tauchert, Prosper Andrews, Vojin Djordevic, Alex Collins, Maxim Afonin. Head Coach - Conor Larkin.

O’Carolan College - Denas Briedas, Darragh Doggett, Alex Murray, Lukas Pocevicius (24), Oisin Gilsenan, Mark Boland, Milo Stafford, Daire Lynch (8), Tadhg Shannon Smith, Daithi McGovern (8), Darragh Cooney, Eoin Gillespie, Michael Finnegan, Joseph Sheridan, Adam Kelly. Head Coach - Jonathan Irvin.