Maigh Cuilinn closed out 2025 with a disappointing home defeat, falling 64–76 to Killarney Lakers in a game that never fully caught fire despite early promise.
In front of a strong St Stephen’s weekend crowd, Maigh Cuilinn began with purpose but were gradually undone by the control of Killarney’s American point guard Stephen Kelly, who dictated tempo and tone throughout.
The opening exchanges were encouraging. Maigh Cuilinn struck first and struck cleanly, racing into an 8–2 lead as John Hackett, Antonio Molina and Grant Olsson all scored on their initial looks. The hosts played with energy, moving the ball crisply, and appeared ready to build on the form that had recently pulled them back toward the playoff picture.
Killarney steadied, however, and from there the contest shifted. In an unexpected early twist, it was the typically interior-focused Jack O’Sullivan who kept the visitors afloat with perimeter shot-making. Once settled, Killarney asserted themselves through Kelly. His 26 points tell part of the story; the rest lies in his command of the game. He picked match-ups, controlled possessions, nullified Maigh Cuilinn’s attempts at full-court pressure and repeatedly punctured defensive schemes. Whenever Maigh Cuilinn hinted at momentum, Kelly halted it.
Maigh Cuilinn’s effort was not in question. Olsson was excellent, leading with scoring punch and intent. But they struggled to find a reliable second scoring presence across four quarters, and the game lacked the spark needed to truly engage the crowd or destabilise the visitors. The contest drifted, not due to apathy but because Killarney were so rarely forced into discomfort.
A potential turning point came early in the fourth quarter. Having trimmed the deficit to five points, Maigh Cuilinn briefly looked poised to tip the balance. The crowd responded, the defensive pressure rose, and for a moment the evening hinted at a shift. Kelly extinguished it, scoring the next five points himself and restoring a cushion that Maigh Cuilinn never breached again.
In the end, it was less a collapse than a failure to ignite. Maigh Cuilinn worked, defended, chased and competed - but never found the defining sequence required to seize control. Killarney, calm and structured, were deserving winners.
Maigh Cuilinn must now reset for 2026, starting with a difficult three-game road stretch being away first to the other Killarney side (Killarney Cougars ) on January 10, then up to University of Ulster on January 24, before a trip to Limerick to face Limerick Sport Eagles on January 31.
A response will be needed. The foundations are there; the spark must follow.
