THERE was a nostalgic presentation at the recent Cork County Men’s Basketball Board Billy Kelly tournament when eight gentlemen, who are basketball legends in their own right, were inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Chairman of the board, Francis O’Sullivan commended all the recipients and thanked them for the contributions they gave to the sport over many decades.

O’Sullivan said: “I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for people like Noel Allen and I am honoured to state that all these men gave their lives to the sport.

“It is fitting at this time we recognise their efforts, role and commitment to basketball through their clubs initially and Cork County Board.

“They have given a lifetime of service to the sport and basketball would not be as strong today as it is without their involvement.

“I am delighted we are finally able to recognise their dedication to basketball in Cork.”

HALL OF FAME

Donal O’Donoghue (Neptune): 

Donal held many positions within the Neptune club and the Cork Country Board and was chairman of the Munster Council on a number of occasions.

Jim O’Donoghue (Neptune): 

Another member of the O’Donoghue family from Barry’s Place, Cathedral Road where the heartbeat of the Neptune club was kept alive right through from 1947 until they built the Neptune Stadium in 1985 a project that Jim was an integral part of.

Noel Allen (Neptune): 

Noel is a basketball man to the core and a Neptune stalwart for over fifty years.

His forte was coaching but he also was an accomplished referee and can be remembered as being part of a great duo with Liam O’Connell a fellow club man who officiated at many Championships and International Tournaments during the seventies.

John Houlihan: 

A man who has given untold service to the game of basketball both as an administrator, teacher and officiator of the game of basketball. He has refereed at the top level of National League basketball but he has come to the fore in helping develop young officials over the past 20 years.

John has driven the Cork County Basketball Officials Association and has always being fair in his judgement whether blowing the whistle during a game or giving a ruling at post-game conferences.

Noel Ryan: 

A man of many attributes Noel commenced his basketball journey with St. John Bosco club in Midleton and after relocating to Carrigtwohill with his teaching profession he was instrumental in the formation of the East Cork Glenmary Basketball Club.

During his playing days he was to become a very accomplished referee on the national stage and was at the forefront of development of the excellent officials during the heady days of basketball in the eighties.

Michael O’Sullivan (Mallow):

A man who caught the basketball bug in the 1980s and nurtured it by developing a strong presence for the game of basketball in the north Cork town of Mallow.

Michael has coached his club at all grades and has seen the fruits of his work with the Mallow club growing in stature both on the female side as well as the male.

Sean Murphy (Blue Demons):

Sean played underage with Iona and in 1968 joined Blue Demons where he won National Leagues and Championships, a 1983 Federation Cup, and was capped as a player with Ireland seniors and coached later at that international level.

Murphy retired from playing in 1983 and went straight into coaching and teaching the game to underage players after coaching Blue Demons (Team Britvic) to a Super League title in 1984.

Jim Dineen (Blue Demons):

It was in 1956 that Jim first hopped a ball in Blarney Street CBS but it was with DePaul Boys Club in St. Vincent’s Church Sundays Well that he really embraced the game and winning championships at underage level went on to be one of the founder members of Blue Demons in 1966.

Jim coached Demons for a number of years but it was as an administrator that proved to be his forte writing the basketball weekly column called ‘Rebounder’ in the '70s.

Dineen served his time as secretary to the Cork County Basketball Board for a time and has been synonymous with the Men’s Super league Clubs Committee almost 20 years.