Comeback kids Tolka Rovers claim final

Tolka Rovers staged a great comeback against Blue Demons to claim the Senior Men's National Cup Final in the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght this afternoon.

With four Tolka players shooting double figures, the Dubliners won out 78 - 69.

After an even opening few minutes, scores from Robert McGowen, Shane McCarthy, Shane O'Connell and Shane Duggan saw Demons open up an eight point lead. Scores from Alan Kelly and Vlad Ignatavicius, four each, helped Tolka peg back the Corkmen, and the sides went into the second quarter with just five between them, with Demons leading 21 - 16.

The gap soon stretched to eight points, but seven points without reply for Tolka gave us an indication of their comeback credentials. Noel Hartigan and Robert McGowen combined to put daylight between the sides again, racking up five points in quick succession, and Demons ended the quarter with a nine point lead of 44 -35.

Shane McCarthy contributed six points in the opening stages of the third quarter, but Tolka remained in touch due in no small part to the shooting of Vlad Ignatavicius, who netted seven points in the first five minutes of the quarter.

An 11-point lead for Demons at the opening stage of the third quarter had been reduced to five, but Demons took control again, establishing an eight point lead once more. The throwing of Mark Walsh at a crucial period at the end of the quarter kept the Dublin side in touch, but going into the fourth period eight points adrift, nobody could have foreseen the turnaround that lay ahead.

Demons continued pressing ahead, four points for Shane Duggan and two for Robert McGowen stretched the lead to fourteen. At 65 -51 down, with eight minutes to play, Tolka enjoyed an inspired period and were ruthless in the final third.

They scored 25 points with only a free throw from Shane O'Connell sandwiched in between by way of a response. This surge was fuelled by Eoin Quill, who contributed nine points in this period.

Now 76- 66 ahead, Tolka had turned the game on its head, and with the clock running down, Demons could only add three more scores before the cup was Tolka's, claiming the trophy, after an amazing turnaround, 78 - 69.

MVP: Tolka Rovers' number 9, Eoin Quill

Top Scorers:

Blue Demons - Shane McCarthy 24 pts, Robert McGowen 11 pts

Tolka Rovers - Vlad Ignatavicius 19 pts, Mark Walsh 15 pts, Eoin Quill 14 pts, Paddy Boylan 13 pts