Éanna win the mind games and the actual game
The Josh Wilson derby was bound to deliver fireworks in the Domino’s men’s Super League. With mind games a plenty, Éanna came out on top against Killester. Emmet Ryan on what was a fun old fight for those watching.
This was a feisty one. Éanna surrendered a 17 point lead only to then get an 18 point lead. That also looked at serious risk before the south Dublin club eventually saw off last season’s runners-up, Killester, in a physical derby.
The switch of Josh Wilson from Éanna, where he won a championship, in the off-season to the north Dublin club meant this one was always going to be intriguing. With Wilson facing his former team for the first time since the move, the clash proved spicy from the off.
Let’s get physical
Éanna started this one stout on the defensive side of the ball, running big man Jim Gormley hard at both ends of the floor. It wasn’t Gormley’s bruising efficacy that stood out most early but rather the mind games that were at play.
Every time something went wrong for Josh Wilson, the Éanna fans and bench let him know. The travelling support roared like they’d won a championship with each error. That extended even to something as simple as giving up a turnover for his heel being over the line while in possession.
On the whole, the first quarter was pure bully ball from Éanna. Stefan Desnica and, in particular, Kiki Andabaca were making life painful for Killester at both ends. The visitors had however started impressively a week prior before fading. There was plenty of cause to doubt the security of their 30-19 lead at the end of the opener.
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Still really physical
The intensity didn’t let up in the second quarter. Éanna continued to go at the hosts and pushed into a deserved 17 point lead early enough. Even with Gormley sitting, because the usage is asking too much of him at both ends, they continued to dominate. Mikah Blackwell was rather impressive as a makeshift 5, ensuring life wasn’t going to get easy for Killester.
The class of the hosts eventually came through as the half wore on. Wilson finally got his first score, an and-1 play, with 7.01 left in the half and that sparked something. The hosts managed to open up the floor and quickly began eating into Éanna’s lead.
A three from Wilson, followed by a shush gesture of him to the Éanna bench continued the revival. Robert Brasswell, another new arrival for the hosts, impressed as the charge pressed on. Eventually they cut the gap to as little as 2 points before Éanna eventually went in up 53-48 at the half.
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They might as well go again
It looked like Éanna had merely ran out of gas a little later than they had in the loss to UCD Marian in the opening week. With Brasswell looking like a killer out there, the momentum was with the orange and black. Matthew McGrath quickly got Killester back level before he then put them in front for the first time since the opening score of the game.
It would be the last lead they held. Kiki Andabaka turned into a man possessed as he led the Éanna charge. With Blackwell also stepping up, the options for Éanna offensively were coming together. Neil Lynch and Seán Jenkins got in on the act as they bolted to a 22-2 run that stunned the home crowd.
That gave the visitors the game-high lead of 18 points. Killester managed to soften the blow somewhat but the good work of the first comeback had been undone. With 10 minutes to play, Éanna led 77-63.
The Balkan connection closes the deal
My game notes for this seem to feature the word physical a lot. Killester felt the worst of it as Andabaka and Desnica took charge defensively. The quality of looks the home side got inside the arc were shocking and that was down to Éanna’s Balkan duo more than anything else.
Paul Dick finally started to get some space to create his own shots in the backside of the fourth. He was aided by Farouq Raheem’s work on the inside to finally create some space. At best however Killester could only cut the deficit to 6 points.
It was just too little too late. In a physical affair, Éanna were stronger and also played the better basketball for longer. They were good value for their 96-85 win in the end.
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