O’Halloran turns on the style for Demons

Mardyke UCC Demons 85 Neptune 74

Both sides went into the game on the back of big league wins last weekend but in the end it was true grit that saw Demons through, sending Neptune to knock at the back door for a place in the quarter-finals.

It was a night of nights for Demons’ Tim O’Halloran. Coach Pat Price handed him the task of marshalling Neptune’s newcomer Ronnie Clarke and he was a revelation in both commitment and discipline. In addition, Damian Matacz dished out the torment to Neptune en route to a game high of 24, while Patrick Pope, workmanlike and efficient at both ends of the court, ended up with 21 points when scores were hard to come by.

Neptune were fighting to hang on for most of the game, although they led at times, as Ricardo Leonard showed some of his old sparkle and young Michael McGinn turned in another fine performance that included two valuable three pointers. Stephen McCarthy was again his reliable self, but the sparkle expected from the Americans was not there in any flourish. Ironically, Neptune went into battle without Charron Watson. He will line out with Gleneagle Lakers against MDS Star in Belfast tonight after a late signing that saw him replace Clyde Ellis, who left for the US yesterday despite agreeing to stay with the Killarney side until after tonight’s cup tie.

Demons got off to the perfect start with a quick basket from Patrick Pope. It was an early lead that they would not relinquish until late in the half, though Neptune came back to draw level at one point in the first half.

However, Demons were always able to fight back, thanks to Glen Worley’s work under the boards. But while Neptune’s Americans were not scoring as freely as one might have expected, Davinno Hines was snatching some valuable rebounds and, with Ricardo Leonard reading the game well, they fought back to trail by a point at the end of the first quarter when Demons led 21-20. The second quarter got off to a fiery start with Ronnie Clarke giving Neptune the lead from the free throw-line, and when Demons fought back to lead again, Stephen McCarthy hit them with a big three-pointer and then went to the free throw-line to land one from two.

The pace quickened and it appeared as if Neptune were about to stretch their lead when Michael McGinn raced in for two baskets and then, as Demons fought back again, hit them with a big three-pointer. Demons came back and a basket on the buzzer from Matacz had them in front 37-36 at half-time, a lead which Matacz would stretch in the opening minutes of the second half. When their lead went up to six points, three pointers from Ronnie Clarke and Stephen McCarthy tied the game once more.

It was again a case of Demons edging clear and Neptune fighting back and there was just a point between them going into the last few seconds of the quarter, when Patrick Pope landed a basket to leave Demons leading 60-57 at the end of the third.

Glen Morley stretched the lead to five points in the opening seconds of the final quarter and suddenly Davinno Hines found himself in foul trouble, as Matacz went up for two to keep the margin at five points with 8:54 on the clock. Baskets from Madacz and two from Patrick Pope including a three-pointer suddenly shot Demons 71-63 clear with five minutes remaining, but three and two from Michael McGinn and Neptune were back in the game. With three minutes remaining it was back to four points, then Ricardo Leonard cut it to two. Patrick Pope landed a basket to bring it back to four and Madacz on the break made it six. Pope to Madicz, and suddenly Demons were eight points clear with just over a minute remaining. Stephen McCarthy landed one from two, then Worley scored two from the line and the lead for Demons was nine points with 28 seconds on the clock.

Pope got two free shots and landed both to bring his total to 23 points and give Demons an 85-74 victory.

Top scorers for Demons were Damian Matacz 24 pts, Patrick Pope 23 and Glen Worley 21. Top scorers for Neptune were Davinno Hines 15, Ronnie Clarke 13 and Stephen McCarthy 12.