Team Ireland's Wayne O'Callaghan, a member of the Ballincollig Special Olympics Club after the presentation to Team Ireland seven a-side squad who collected their Bronze Medals at the World Games in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Photo by Ray McManus.

On the ball!

Michael Olney

Published: Wed 10 Jul 2019, 4:59 PM

Last updated: Wed 10 Jul 2019, 6:10 PM

So far 2019 has been a year of great sporting success for Ballincollig, and it’s only July.

Back in January Tradehouse Central Ballincollig Basketball Team produced a stunning performance to become back-to-back Hula Hoops Presidents Cup winners.

The final saw the club take on Dublin’s Bad Bobs Tolka Rangers in a thrilling match, producing an especially hard fought second half. The match ended 71-59.

With an MVP performance from Ian McLoughlin, coupled with the style and experience of Ciaran O’Sullivan, huge boards and stops from Andre Nation, and the exciting young talent of Dylan Corkery, Ballincollig were certainly the deserving winners in the end.

Speaking after the game in January, Ballincollig boss, Kieran O’Sullivan, said: “We knew at half time that we had the right tempo, we just weren’t clicking on offence. But we trusted ourselves in the third and we came away with it.”

Since securing the title, Tradehouse Central Ballincollig have been performing like true champions sitting 12 points clear at the top of the Men’s Division 1 South Conference table with 66 points and 22 wins from 24 games played.

Elsewhere in Irish basketball, Ballincollig native Kieran O’Byrne played a pivotal role in an absolutely thrilling clash between his club Pyrobel Killester and UCD Marian at the Hula Hoops Pat Duffy National Cup final.

Pyrobel Killester took the spoils in a tense 66-63 point game which came down to the very last second with the Ballincollig man claiming a vital rebound to score the final basket of the game.

“It’s justification for the hours they’ve put in and the sacrifices they’ve made. I’m just delighted for them,” said Killester head coach Brian O’Malley after the game.

Moving to soccer, Wayne O’Callaghan, a member of Team Ireland and of the Ballincollig Special Olympics Club, earned a bronze medal for his role in Team Ireland’s seven a-side campaign of the 2019 Special Olympics World Games.

The team collected their medals on day six of the international competition which took place in March in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The Special Olympics World Games takes place every four years with the next one to be held in Berlin, Germany in 2023.