SPORTING TEACHERS/PAUL KELLEHER: Emmet Riordan talks to Gael Choláiste Mhuire's basketball coach, who also picked up a National Cup at senior club level last weekend

PAUL KELLEHER deserved to put his feet up on Monday night. He had just returned from a second trip to Dublin in two days, both winning ones as two very contrasting sides he is involved in coaching took the honours at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght.

On Sunday he was assistant to Douglas Leichner as UCC Demons won their fifth National Cup title in a cracking 98-86 victory over DART Killester.

He followed that up by taking the head coach role as Cork city's Gael Choláiste Mhuire beat Eureka Kells to take the Girls' Under-16B All-Ireland crown to round off an incredible two days.

At 27 years old, Kelleher has been coaching now for more than a decade, after deciding his basketball vocation was on the side of the court and not treading the boards.

"I started playing when I was seven with the North Mon club in Cork, but around fifth year in secondary school I started coaching and stopped playing," says Kelleher.

"My secondary school didn't have a boys basketball team, but then a quite talented group come into first year and they decided that it was time to start a team. I helped out with one of the teachers and ended up coaching in school for the next two years."

Kelleher hasn't regretted his decision and his coaching career has brought him to America for the last nine summers to work at an invitational basketball camp in Pennsylvania.

While studying to become a teacher, he cut his coaching teeth under former Demons coach Pat Price and has also assisted Ireland underage teams at under-16 and under-18 levels.

Kelleher's involvement with both club and school has proved very rewarding, but if he had to choose he would pick Gael Choláiste Mhuire's success as his highlight of a memorable few days.

"I like teaching, I love being around young players, trying to teach them the intricacies of the game. You learn so much about yourself coaching at that level," says Kelleher, who witnessed brilliant performances from the MVPs in both deciders.

Colin O'Reilly dominated the men's final, scoring 26 points, while Clodagh Scannell put her name to 28 of the 39 points in an outstanding all-round performance for her school.

Clodagh is a daughter of Mark Scannell, who had his own moment of glory on Sunday when he coached Team Montenotte Hotel Cork to a third straight success in the Women's National Cup decider before watching his daughter play on Monday.

Although admitting that basketball is all about teamwork, Kelleher couldn't help but talk about the two individual performances

"Colin's just a scoring machine, he's our go-to guy right now. When he's on fire like that I don't think there's anybody like him in the country, to be honest.

"Clodagh is an exceptional young player. She can rebound, she can pass the ball the full length of the floor and she can score. When you've got a talent like that it's about getting the other players to find their roles. They have been absolutely tremendous this year in knowing what to do around Clodagh."

Kelleher has been substitute teaching at the school this year and will complete his H.Dip at the University of Limerick.

He has ambitions to try and develop his basketball coaching skills too.

"I've been involved with two Irish underage teams already and obviously the goal is to be head coach of one in the next couple of years. Hopefully I can get to that level where I'm confident enough to take a national team on my own," he says.

Kelleher arrived back in Cork on Monday night with a bus full of cheering schoolgirls, still celebrating their success earlier in the day.

Was he going to put his feet up? "Do you know, I might go home and watch a recording of the yesterday's game."

Now that's dedication for you.