University of Galway Mystics saw their playoff journey come to a heartbreaking end on Saturday (21st March 2026), falling 77–74 to league leaders Cleveland Rockets in a fiercely contested Division One quarter-final in Lisburn.
Although Mystics won three of the four quarters, they were ultimately undone by a decisive second period from the home side.
Mystics took an early lead, with Karolina Gierszal making an impact early on with six points in the first quarter. Rockets, led by Charley McGrath, fought back to finish the first quarter narrowly behind Mystics at 14-15.
The balance changed in the second quarter as Rockets outscored Mystics 28-16, with six points each from Charley McGrath and Georgie McGrath. This gave Rockets a solid 42-31 lead heading into halftime.
Mystics rallied strongly in the third quarter, with nine points from Kara McCleane helping to close the gap to just 60-54. The final quarter was the ultimate nail-biter. Mystics made a strong comeback, drawing level with just over a minute to go. However, Rockets managed to hold their composure in the final moments to secure a narrow three-point victory.
Kara McCleane and Karolina Gierszal led the scoring for Mystics with 17 points each, while Bella Quinn added 16 in a strong offensive display. For Rockets, Aoibheann Donnelly was the top scorer with 17 points, closely followed by Charley McGrath with 16.
University of Galway Mystics Head Coach Paul Langan was quick to praise his team: “I'm immensely proud of the progress we've made this season. Levelling the game with a minute to go against the number one team in the league was a great measure of how far we've come.”
“While we were all gutted not to get the win after such a close game, we are already looking forward to what's next. We’re hoping to bring additional sponsors on board for next season and build on what we've achieved over the last few months. As the only team in Division One with no professional players, we're incredibly proud to represent Galway and the West of Ireland in National League Basketball.” he added.
Mystics’ attention now turns to preparations for the 2026/27 season, with Open Trials scheduled for August, offering aspiring players from across the region the opportunity to compete for a place on the Mystics roster and be part of the club’s continued rise.
