Irish basketball teams ordered to replay last 0.3 seconds of quarter-final tie

Two Irish basketball teams have been ordered to replay the final 0.3 seconds of a quarter-final match.

Limerick Sport Eagles beat Portlaoise Panthers 80-78 on 23 March.

But the second-tier game finished in controversial fashion, with the Eagles' winning points coming from free throws awarded on the final buzzer.

Portlaoise appealed on the grounds the free throws should not have been allowed as the clock had expired at the same time the foul was called.

They were initially told by the National League Committee (NLC) that the result would stand as a referee's decision cannot be retrospectively overturned.

However, they were given the option to appeal to the National Appeals Committee (NAC).

The NAC ruled the match should be replayed in its entirety, but Basketball Ireland has since said the option to appeal was "granted in error".

The NLC then ruled the fixture would not be replayed in full, but that the remaining 0.3 seconds should be played.

Basketball Ireland said that should happen this week and it would be "in liaison with the clubs to determine when".

The controversy came after Jason Killeen was adjudged to have been fouled in the act of shooting as the final buzzer sounded. The former Ireland captain landed the two resulting free throws to edge the Eagles ahead.

Those points stand, so they will lead 80-78 when the final 0.3 seconds of the match begin.

The winners of the tie will face MOY Tolka Rovers in the semi-finals.