Killester and UCC Demons to meet in Pat Duffy decider

Killester defeated Griffith College Éanna 93-74 in the Pat Duffy National Cup semi-finals on Saturday night to set up a final against defending champions UCC Demons, who got got past EJ Sligo All-Stars 91-77 earlier in the day.

The first quarter was an even one, and Griffith College Éanna had a narrow advantage at 26-24, thanks to Tyland Crawford's three in the last seconds.

Killester started the second quarter with an 11-point run to make it 33-26. Sean Jenkins got his first points of the game with three and two-point jump shot to reduce the deficit to 33-31 three and a half minutes in.

Not long afterwards Paul Dick racked up eight points in a little over a minute - a corner three, pair of layups and a free throw - to help Killester into a 43-35 lead midway through the quarter, with only Kristijan Andabaka getting on the scoreboard for Griffith College Éanna during the sequence.

A three from Andabaka and a pair of Tyland Crawford free throws saw it level at 45-45 going into the closing stages of the second quarter, only for a trio of free throws from Dick to hand Killester a 48-45 half-time lead.

Two minutes into the third quarter, it was level once more at 51-51 after a pair of Kason Harrell free throws.

Killester stated to take control of proceedings after that and they were up by five after an Isiah Dasher three and a Ciaran Roe layup under the basket made it 58-53.

The lead was 67-57, following Dick’s corner three with four minutes to go in the third quarter.

Killester continued to build a lead, another corner three, this time from Andy McGeever, and they were 72-57 up.

Momentum was with Killester, summed up with an end of quarter buzzer beater from Harrell, which saw him clatter into the perimeter advertising boards in the