Kestrels men keeping their MABB Division One title defence on track

KESTRELS head coach, John Dunphy is more than satisfied with his team’s current standing as they near the midway point of their MABB Men’s Division One title defence this season.

The Portarlington side are set to head into the new year top of the table, having won four of their opening five games of the campaign.

Indeed, victories over Longford Phoenix, Portlaoise Panthers, Kildare Gliders and, most recently, Athlone One have propelled them out in front, yet Dunphy is still anticipating a tough second half to the season.

Indeed, their first league game back in the new year will see them play host to a Tullamore outfit that edged them by just three points 77-74 earlier in the month, in what has been their only reversal so far this season.

Finding themselves down by seven points with just under three minutes remaining, Kestrels hauled themselves back to within one of their Offaly rivals with just 24 seconds left on the clock.

They had the chance to overtake, but were unable to get the ball to drop, and, in being forced to foul, they put Tullamore on the free throw line, the Offaly side duly taking the two points to help see this game out.

“Tullamore are big and we were without our two big guys” remarked the Kestrels boss.

“They played well, but it could have gone either way. I'm happy with the fact that we were down by seven or eight with two-and-a-half minutes to go, and that we got it all the way back, and even had a shot at the end to win it.

“I was pleased with the temperament, that never-say-die attitude. I thought that was great. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but it's about trying to keep that temperament all the time” he said.

While they were disappointed with the loss, Kestrels wasted little time in returning to winning ways, beating Athlone on the road 98-45 just the following day.

After a tight opening quarter, Kestrels took charge, holding their opponents to just four points in the third period, as they continued to surge clear, thanks in no small measure to the huge 43 points that James Byrne totalled on the day.

That win helped ensure Kestrels will head into the Christmas break top of the table – an impressive achievement given the changes they have had to contend with this season.

Indeed, the Laois side is still early awaiting the return of Peter Byrne and Lir O’Loughlan, who have both been sidelined with shoulder injuries.

While the team has been shorn a lot of height with the absence of those two players, they have been bolstered by the return of shooting guard, Aaron Whelan, at least for the first half of the season.

He played for the club at underage level before lining out for Carlow in the National League and then moving to Australia.

Former Edenderry guard, Apostolis Vergas also signed for the team this year, while high-rated three-point shooter, Liam Guinan, returned to the Kestrels set-up this season.

With Jordan Fallon, James Byrne and Sean Smith helping provide the core of a solid Kestrels outfit, the defending Division One and Top-Four champions continue to prove a serious force in the highest ranks of the Midlands League.

“For the challenges that we’ve been face with, in terms of injuries, we’re doing really well,” insisted Dunphy.

“We're probably smaller this year because we've lost size, but we've gained in guards. We’re having to change our style slightly, but we’re going well.

“There are a couple of very good teams in the league though. Tullamore have got stronger and Gliders will always be strong,” he said.

While there is still a long way to go in the campaign, Dunphy views the return game against Tullamore on Friday 16 January as an important step in their bid to retain the Division One crown.

“That'll be a big game against Tullamore, because if they win that, that'll be them in pole position for the league, and if we win, that's probably us back in front a little bit.

“But we're exactly where we want to be right now. We're in a great position, which is all we really want - to be competing for that top spot,” he said.

Kestrels are still also involved in MABB Cup competition, having beaten Longford 82-61 in the quarter-finals back in October to set up a last-four encounter with Kildare Gliders next month.