How St. Brendan's made the voyage from Mayo to Dublin a successful one
John Melvin
As St. Brendan’s College coach Damien Lavelle said in his post-match interview following his school's 55-47 to over Middleton to claim the Pinergy Basketball Ireland Under 19 C Boys Schools Cup title: “We’re from Mayo, which is a basketball county, but we’re from an area that isn’t a basketball area and this is our second All-Ireland in five years, so we’re absolutely delighted.”
He told it like it is, as indeed the popular Belmullet man always does. He has a huge passion for the game on and off the court, and that is why St. Brendan’s are where they are.
Belmullet may not previously have been known as a basketball town but it is now, and its reputation is growing thanks to people like Damien who have invested a lot of time in promoting the sport in the area.
But behind him is a school that supports him and a team that are willing to listen and learn, and a community that appreciates their efforts.
Damien has been fortunate to have had some fine players going through his hands at St. Brendan’s College, including his own sons, and now he has produced another All-Ireland winning team. The future looks for a college on the edge of the Atlantic.
The National Basketball Arena in Tallaght can be an intimidating place, especially when schools from Mayo and Cork clash, so full credit to St. Brendan’s whose battling qualities shone through.
Seamus Howard scored 30 points in the final and by any standards that is a huge score in any game, but he had help as players like Liam Maloney, who scored nine points, and Patrick Conroy who nailed six and rose to the occasion, as well as James Heffernan, James Ivers, Troy Gaughan, Thady Walsh, Jack Coyle and Colin O’Donnell, all of whom made significant contributions to this success.
Middleton were a fine side and never gave up the chase, picking off some superb three-pointers in a game that was close all through, Mikolaj Urbanski nailing 22 points.
St. Brendan’s won the opening quarter 17-14 but by half-time Middleton were ahead by two.
The Belmullet boys hit the ground running in the third quarter, Howard nailing three baskets on the bounce while Patrick Conroy, Liam Maloney and Colin O’Donnell helped St. Brendan's go 41-35 going into the fourth quarter.
They extended that lead to seven and try as they might Middletown couldn’t wear down the men from the west, who held on gamely for a richly deserved victory.
St. Brendan’s College team: Josh Reilly, Liam Maloney (joint captain), Seamus Howard (joint captain), James Heffernan, James Ivers, Troy Gaughan, Thady Walsh, Jack Coyle, Colin O’Donnell, Fionn O’Donoghue, Patrick Conroy, Jack O’Grady.