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Debutant Blackwell excels before Lakers get rained off

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After waiting patiently all summer for the start of the new National League season to begin, Scotts Lakers and the Waterford Vikings were left frustrated on opening night as their fixture was called off with just 19 seconds to play.

The reason is not one you would expect to find at an indoor sporting event: rain. More specifically, rainwater was leaking through a vent in SETU College Hall and making its way onto the court. When Lakers player Shane Daly slipped on the wet floor with roughly three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, officials stopped the game and made attempts to fix the problem.

Unfortunately, the issue persisted and with the scores at Vikings 69-68 Lakers heading into the final 19 seconds, the match was abandoned in the interest of player safety.

The decision apparently angered the home team who were in a good position to take the W (they had possession and Aaron Jackson, the former Laker, was about to shoot two free throws). Proceedings ended with a heated exchange between both sets of players and coaches.

The Lakers now believe that according to league guidelines the points should be awarded to them as the Vikings were unable to provide an alternative home venue to finish the game. The Waterford club are unlikely to take such a ruling lying down.

The match itself ebbed and flowed with both sides racing ahead at different junctures before losing momentum and allowing the opposition to respond.

After losing their way a little in the second half, the away team battled back admirably and they would have been ahead in the closing seconds were it not for some poor free throw shooting on their part (they missed nine in total).

On the plus side, the young Irish players showed great tenacity and the performance of new US signing Mikah Blackwell was extremely encouraging. The versatile 6’6” two-way player scored in just about every way imaginable, from catch-and-shoot threes, to pull-up midrange jumpers, to close-range finishes in traffic…. There was even a put-back dunk and an alley-oop thrown in for good measure. He finished up with 42 points in a display that bodes well for the rest of the season.

Patrick Lanipekun chipped in with 12 points, Shane Daly had 7, Eoin Carroll had 4 and Rui Saraiva had 3.

Next up for Ron Howard’s men is the first home game of the campaign against newcomers the Tipperary Talons on Saturday. Tip-off at the Killarney Sports & Leisure Centre is at 7.30pm.

Elsewhere in Division One, the Killarney Cougars fell to a 98-77 defeat away to Titans BC with Kani Glover and Joshua Strongman combining for 52. The veteran Andrew Fitzgerald registered 15 points.

Patrick O’Regan’s team will be aiming to build on the positives from their season opener when they host Waterford Vikings in their first home game on Saturday at the Presentation Gym. Tip-off is at 7.30pm.

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Clifford brothers to test their game against golf’s elite

Kerry footballers Paudie and David Clifford will take on some of the biggest names in golf when they line out in the Celebrity Pro-Am at the Amgen Irish Open. The […]

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Kerry footballers Paudie and David Clifford will take on some of the biggest names in golf when they line out in the Celebrity Pro-Am at the Amgen Irish Open.

The Fossa brothers will join stars including Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, Pádraig Harrington, Séamus Power, and Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald at The K Club next month.
The Pro-Am takes place on Wednesday, September 3, ahead of the main tournament from September 4–7.
Also confirmed for the Pro-Am are Tipperary hurling captain Ronan Maher, rugby star Josh van der Flier and former rugby internationals Johnny Sexton and Tommy Bowe.

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Athletic’s Luke Doolan Signs for Kerry FC

Killarney teenager Luke Doolan has signed for Kerry FC, making the move from local side Killarney Athletic. The 17-year-old forward was a standout performer in the Kerry District League last […]

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Killarney teenager Luke Doolan has signed for Kerry FC, making the move from local side Killarney Athletic.

The 17-year-old forward was a standout performer in the Kerry District League last season and caught the eye with five goals in the Munster Youths Cup.
He also featured for Athletic’s senior team and earned a call-up to the Republic of Ireland Under-18 squad, where he impressed in international friendlies.
Doolan will now train with the Kerry FC first team and play with the club’s Under 20 Academy side. His signing is another boost for the club’s commitment to developing local talent.
Speaking after the move, Luke said: “I’m delighted to have this chance with Kerry FC and I’m looking forward to working with the team. I’m grateful to Colin Healy for the opportunity and I’m excited to play in front of the Kerry supporters.”
First-team manager Colin Healy added: “Luke has trained with us for the last number of weeks and has really impressed. He’s shown a great attitude and hunger to learn. He’s a talented young player and this is the next step for him.”
Kerry FC CEO Billy Dennehy said: “Luke’s journey is similar to many young players who previously had no League of Ireland pathway in Kerry. His progress is a credit to Killarney Athletic and his coaches. We look forward to helping him develop further at the club.”

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