Merry Monk Ballina win national basketball title

National basketball silverware is returning to Ballina after Merry Monk Ballina claimed the BIDL Plate in the National Basketball Arena this morning, defeating Cavan Eagles 81-68.

Merry Monk hit the turbo in the third quarter, inspired by the near-flawless shooting of MVP Theo Daly, who hit four of his six three-pointers in a sublime showing as the Ballina side turned a four-point deficit into a 17-point lead going into the final period.

The Eagles had the better of play in the first half, with former National League star Ben Kelly-Flynn scoring 18 points as the Ulster side kept Merry Monk at arms reach. An 11-point run by the Eagles saw them lead 40-28 but a pair of threes by Mark Cunningham and one apiece by Ronan O’Malley and Ronan McGarrity to leave it 41-45 in favour of Cavan at the exchange of ends.

Daly’s accuracy in the third quarter was the winning of this final, helping Merry Monk in ten and eight point runs to win the quarter 29-8, and lead 70-53 going into the last ten minutes.

Baskets by Brian Donoghue, Ronan O’Malley and Ronan McGarrity left little doubt about where the trophy was going, with a late rally by the Eagles too little too late as the men’s senior team brings a national title back to the Moy for the first time in decades.

See Tuesday’s Western People for full coverage.