Defence Forces - Sports
Basketball
Basketball has a long tradition within the Defence Forces with many players involved in Senior National league teams throughout the years for both the mens and ladies competitions. Since 2004, DF Basketball has gone from strength to strength following the dedication and time spent by Defence Forces personnel to promote basketball. This is highlighted by the very competitive Defence Forces Garda representative match that is held annually. The teams competing have gotten stronger each year. The mens representative match was initiated in 2004 with An Gardai Siochana to promote basketball and establish links between the two organisations. Victory has rotated on alternate years emphasising the competitive nature of this annual fixture.
While the mens basketball has enjoyed a long tradition in the Defence Forces coupled with renewed growth, the ladies basketball has only established the Defence Forces team since 2004 and has since joined the mens team in playing An Garda Siochana in the annual representative fixture. Given the relatively small numbers, the DF ladies team has been very successful in the short time period since 2004 and looks very encouraging for the future.
In order to maintain the recent growth in the sport, training camps and games have been organised by the management teams and coaches in addition to the Defence Forces competitions. The future for DF Basketball is bright. There is great interest in both Men’s and Women’s Basketball with the hope to expand and play a representative game against another nation in the future.
Defence Forces Basketball team win 2008 Corporate Games.
The work carried out by the members of the basketball committee and players has started to pay dividends. An increase in competitions with teams outside the Defence Forces in order to promote the sport within the Defence Forces is showing positive results. For the first time eight members of the Mens Defence Forces Basketball took part in the Irish National Corporate Games in Basketball tournament on the 21/22 June 2008 in the University of Limerick. Three pool games were played on the Sat resulting in two wins and one loss, this qualified the Defence Forces for the semi final. The Defence Forces having lost their pool game against the Garda College met them once again in the final in what was an intense and tiring tournament for the seven players and coach. Having lost against the Gardai in the annual representative match and in the pool game the Defence Forces team were well motivated for the final. The final proved to be a significant win for the Defence Forces team who were victors 30 –23 in the final. Members of the Mens DF basketball team from left to right were:
Pte Philip Brennan, Able Seaman Mark O Brien, Capt Mick Hickey, Pte Connor Gallagher, Able Seaman Martin O’Sullivan, Capt Padraic Kennedy, Lt Stephen Wade, and Comdt Brendan McGuinness.