Neptune seal Super League playoff spot with dominant display against Maree
Energywise Ireland Neptune supporters cheering on their side against Maree during the Men's Super League at The Neptune stadium. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Energywise Ireland Neptune had few problems in disposing of Galway side Maree in a disappointing Men’s Super League clash at the Neptune Stadium on Saturday.
This was a mismatch as their opponents never looked likely to win this game as their fate in this league was decided a few weeks ago when they were relegated. A deduction for illegal player registration didn’t help their cause, but they will be aware that the governing committee had little choice in this matter as they were also thrown out of the Pat Duffy Men’s National Cup.
The Galway side travelled to this game with only eight players and one American and surely that’s not good enough for the teams scrambling for the lower end of the play-off berths.
It only took 30 seconds for the home team to register their opening basket courtesy of a Jaksa Sola baseline jumper.
The depleted Galway side responded with a basket and three-pointer from Zionmir Cutuk, but the sides were level at seven points each in the fourth minute.
The opening five minutes was equivalent to a scrimmage, but it was evident Neptune were gaining momentum in the manner they were running the floor.
There is little doubt this game was a damp squib in the opening quarter as the shooting options were off the charts with Maree in particular depending on shooting two feet on the back of the arc.
Nil Sabata the Catalonian ace has given great service to Neptune in the last six years and he finished the quarter with a spin drive to the hoop that gave his team a 25-15 lead entering the second quarter.
Sola opened up with a neat jumper and when Adam Heaphy nailed a monstrous shot outside the arc it increased the Neptune lead, to 13 points in the 12th minute. Indeed Adam Heaphy must have felt aggrieved after nailing his second three that he was substituted as he had a 100% average in the shooting department.
As the quarter matured the play got sloppier and despite Neptune using various rotations, they were seldom troubled in this period.
In times where defence can be non-existent the performance of Cian Heaphy in that department was right from the top drawer.
All season Heaphy has been a revelation for Neptune at both ends of the floor and this game looked over as a contest at the break with Neptune commanding a 45-30 interval lead.
Hunter got the home side off to the perfect start when making a darting move to the hoop that was followed by a Darragh O’Sullivan jumper. Neptune looked to be gaining total control but Maree continued to hang in there as there only 16 points separated the teams in the 25th minute.
A minute later we witnessed a monstrous slammer from Hunter as the Maree coach decided a time was needed to steady his troops.
Fatigue set in for Maree in the closing minutes of this period as Neptune executed the crucial baskets that saw them increase their lead to 25 points 73-48 entering the fourth quarter.
Coming down the stretch Neptune went through the motions as the sound of the final buzzer brought an end to their home campaign as this win guaranteed them a play-off berth.
T Fields 20, C Hunter 18, J Sola 16, D O’Sullivan 16.
J McGettigan 32, Z Cutuk 9, J Morris 8, E Rockall 8.
D O’Sullivan, C Leahy, C O’Sullivan, T Fields, D Aluko, A Heaphy, D O’Rourke, N Sabata, C Heaphy, J Sola, C Hunter.
D Oyeleye, E Rockall, J McGettigan, C Burke, J Burke, J Haines, Z Cutuk, C Blake, M McCarthy.
Joe Lavin (Dublin), Sean Butterly (Dublin), Alex Kirwan (Dublin).
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