Basketball Ireland Men’s Superleague Match Report

20^th January 2018 – Colaiste Eanna, Dublin

Eanna BC – 62 (34)

Moycullen 74 (33)

A dogged third quarter performance from Moycullen away from home saw the visitors record another road victory and their third win in four games since the Christmas break.

The challenge Saturday night was a physically imposing Eanna side, who, despite missing their top scorer Tamron Manning and Dublin footballer Michael Darragh MacAuley, boasted a significant advantage in size over the Galway outfit.

The home team’s strength around the basket told early as they repeatedly found scores close to the hoop with Moycullen being forced to rely on quicker ball movement and attempts from the three-point line.

However, good shooting from Moycullen’s Dylan Cunningham and James Loughnane were enough to see the Galway lads take a narrow lead into the second quarter, 20 – 23.

The second quarter belonged to Eanna and their twin towers of Conor Gallagher and American Mlynue Reeves as they game slowed to a pace more suited to the Dubliners. Some fine internal passing and creation of high percentage scoring opportunities had the home outfit ahead at the half time break 34 – 33.

The injection of Joseph Tummon into the game in the third quarter, along with fellow youngsters Connor Curran and Kyle Cunningham, turned the tempo of the contest back to the fast paced play better suited to Moycullen and the scoreboard soon reflected this as they retook the lead and led by 6 entering the fourth.

The fourth proved to be slightly nervy affair as Moycullen, while playing excellent basketball and well on top of their opponents, were unable to convert the multitude of opportunities they were creating.

As has been the case regularly this year, Brandon McGuire proved to be the exception when the team struggled to score and his baskets late on were crucial to steadying the ship and leading Moycullen to a well-deserved 12-point win.

“It was a great win to get on the road when we didn’t shoot the ball well against a team that are a lot bigger physically than us,” said Moycullen guard Patrick Lyons.

“It would have been an easy game to lose our confidence in but we kept trusting that if we kept the pace high and played our game, we had the better team.”

The win moves Moycullen to eight wins on the season and tied for the crucial sixth and final playoff spot.

The Superleague team can now look forward to a weekend off and a chance to become supporters as all eyes in the club will be fixed on this coming Sunday’s trip to Dublin (28^th January) for the U20 National Cup Final meeting of Moycullen and KUBS.

Moycullen Scorers: Brandon McGuire (27), Patrick Lyons (10), Dylan Cunningham (10), James Loughnane (9), Paul Freeman (6), Kyle Cunningham (5), Joseph Tummon (4), Connor Curran (4), Cian Nihill

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