Moycullen's Superleague basketball, having suffered another defeat in a long list of losses last weekend, must pick themselves up when they face DCU on Sunday (8pm ).
Coach Enda Byrt will have a challenge on his hands to lift the team after losing 83-79 to Ulster Elks - a crushing defeat given that it was a game Moycullen should have won.
Instead, having led for all but the last three minutes, Moycullen allowed Elks back into the game, winning that crucial minute period by 9 and clinching an unlikely 83-79 victory.
It was heartbreaking for the Moycullen team having produced their best offensive display of the season. However, a combination of the loss of Mason Ambler to foul trouble, an inability to contain the excellent Kevin Foley, a series of missed fast-break opportunities, and a poor rebounding performance early in the game contributed to yet another defeat.
Mason Ambler began as if he wanted to finish the game in the first quarter, hitting basket after basket for the visitors. James Loughnane chipped in with a long-range effort and Dylan Cunningham was also productive as Moycullen edged ahead. At the other end, Moycullen defended pretty well, but the good work was undone by an inability to clear their own boards with Ben De La Cruz profiting most, collecting nine of his 21 points early on. The efforts of De La Cruz kept Elks in touch, but it was the visitors who led by seven at the end of the quarter.
The second quarter saw more of the same with Moycullen well on top. Crucially though, they failed to capitalise on a number of fast breaks and Kevin Foley began to work his way into the game for Elks. Dylan Cunningham hit a couple of nice driving scores for Moycullen as they established a double figures lead and looked comfortably in control of the game. Then the game took a turn for the worst. Mason Ambler picked up his third foul and Stephen Tummon his second, and as the half wound down Kevin Foley connected on a pair of three pointers to narrow the gap to seven. Acontroversial call saw Ambler pick up his fourth foul and suddenly, despite leading by five, 47-42, Moycullen were facing a difficult second half.
The third quarter was a pretty even affair with Moycullen managing to keep Ambler on the bench for much of it. Stephen Tummon stepped up to the plate offensively, while John Cunningham stood in for Ambler and logged some solid minutes. Paul O'Brien also did a good job at the front of the Moycullen zone as they battled to retain the lead, but De La Cruz proved a handful while Paddy McGaharan also edged the hosts closer, cutting the margin to two.
Moycullen once again edged out to a seven point lead and looked to have weathered the storm. However the game turned on a crucial offensive foul called on Mason Ambler, his fifth. Although Moycullen initially responded well, the loss of Ambler's physical presence at the defensive end took its toll. Foley connected on a three and Ciaran McEvilly connected from the outside as Elks levelled and then edged ahead. As the game entered the last minute, Mike Dowd narrowed the gap to two with a superb drive and score, but at the other end, Foley’s forced shot missed the target but it fell to a wide open De La Cruz who put the final nail in the coffin.
Moycullen: Mason Ambler (24 ), Stephen Tummon (18 ), Dylan Cunningham (12 ), John Cunningham(9 ), James Loughnane (6 ), Mike Dowd (5 ), Mindaugus Kurcenkovas (5 ), Paul O'Brien, Nollaig Cunningham, Eoghan Maxwell, James O'Brien, Gerald Lyons. Coach: Enda Byrt.
