Hannigan's heroics help UCC Demons retain Super league status
MAN FOR THE MOMENT: UCC Demons James Hannigan has a run at the basket. Picture by Noel Sweeney
A man-of-the-match display and a 21-point contribution from James Hannigan ensured UCC Demons retained their Men’s Super League status following a comfortable win over St Vincent’s at a tense Mardyke Arena on Sunday.
Never before has the Sunday’s Well club found themselves in this position but the reality is that their season didn’t go to plan and their bacon was saved at the death on the final game of the season.
Many pundits were saying all season that Demons wouldn’t go down with the quality of Irish players in their squad, but the reality is they didn’t produce the goods on a consistent basis.
No doubt the club will assess the situation for next season but with the high likely there will be new coaching staff, recruiting professionals that are a right fit to this Demons squad is a priority.
The visitors were quickest from the blocks with Will Thomas draining a baseline jumper before James Hannigan responded with a long range three pointer.
Demons were playing man to man defence but they were giving their opponents far too much space in the opening exchanges.
In the space of four minutes Demons American Andres Rivera had picked two fouls and had to replaced but their defence continued to be questionable and following a neat Thomas jumper in the sixth minute they trailed 17-6.
Jordan Washington had nightmare opening six minutes but then he registered eight unanswered points that reduced the deficit to three points.
The home side were now on a roll and when Fam drained a floater in the eight- minute Demons were now within a point of their opponents.
The closing minutes was a comedy of errors, but Vincent’s held their nerve and deservedly commanded a two- point lead 24-22 entering the second quarter.
Two consecutive baskets edged Demons ahead on the restart, but the Saints responded with a clinical Phelan basket to tie proceedings.
James Hannigan showed his class with a stunning three pointer and interception lay-up that gave Demons a 36-30 lead in the 14th minute before the visitors called a time out.
In a two- minute period Demons upped the tempo and with James Hannigan continuing with his brilliance at both ends of court they surged into an eight- point lead.
Another Hannigan in the shape of Scott came in for his twin brother James and he immediately nailed a long range three pointer.
The home team kept plugging away and went in at the break commanding an 11- point lead 48-37.
Looking at the half time stats Demons made 15/25 (60%) inside the paint and outside the arc they shot a paltry 3/11 that showed a 27% average.
James Hannigan started the third quarter with a stunning three pointer that was followed by a Washington basket as Demons suddenly had an 18 point lead.
One problem all season for Demons has been their tendency to relax when getting good leads in games and once again they allowed Vincent’s nail three unanswered baskets.
As the quarter matured Demons began dominating as Vincent’s had few answers to Demons power in the offence court.
The home team introduced players like Luke Sutton and Ben Horgan, and both acquitted themselves well in a high- pressure game as they commanded a 25 point lead 78-73 entering the fourth quarter.
Tala fam got the fourth quarter up and running with a floater as they now looked in total control.
The closing minutes were drab as Demons class simply blew Vincent’s away in game where relief was written all over the faces of players and fans alike at the final buzzer.
The relegation battle is now between Energywise Ireland Neptune who will play Eanna on Monday in Dublin where a defeat would spell a play off between the Cork side and Killorglin at a neutral venue next weekend.
J Washington 25, J Hannigan 21, T Fam 19, A Rivera 10.
W Thomas 20, A Lisweki 13, J Phelan 10.
B Murphy, S Hannigan, J Washington, L Sutton, K Hosford, J Hannigan, D Lehane, T Fam, D Cuff, B Horgan, J Beckom, L Kivavu.
J Phelan, C Coombes, C Gilligan, B Ubaekwe, D Lagoeyte, D Ebose, A Tynan, E McCann, M Garrick, L Kinsella, A Lisewski, D Ebosi, M Pierre, W Thomas.
M Landos (Portlaoise), J Vida (Dublin), Y Ni (Dublin).
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