Moycullen came up against a red hot UCC Demons team which easily saw off the westerners on Monday in Cork.
Fresh off a big derby win against local rivals Neptune during the Christmas period, the home side missed just three shots in the first period of play on Monday, leaving Moycullen somewhat shell-shocked and chasing a 24 - 12 gap.
An in-form James Loughnane did his upmost to drag his team back into the game, contributing a season high 14 points by attacking the Demons' basket aggressively.
Scores were hard to come by, however, as Demons' 6ft 8 American Shawn Aputem made it difficult for Luke Enos to be as influential as he would have liked by preventing the ball reaching the hands of Moycullen's top scorer. While Moycullen battled on, Demons were in sparkling form and continued to turn good defence into free-flowing scoring opportunities, ending the half up 50 - 28.
From that point onwards Moycullen were playing for pride as Demons continued in the second half right where they left off, putting on a clinical show of offensive basketball.
A squad blessed with a plethora of talent, the Cork outfit was able to bring a host of former youth internationals off the bench, never allowing the intensity to drop as they made claims for further playing time.
Moycullen head coach Gerald Lyons also used the opportunity to experiment with different line-ups. It was his younger brother Patrick Lyons who caught the eye, putting in five points and running the offence with a maturity that belied his 16 years.
In the end Moycullen lost 88-65 and must now dust themselves off and prepare for their first home game of 2012 on Saturday when they face UL Eagles in NUIG at 4pm, earlier than was originally advertised.
Limerick will pose a very different challenge to Demons and although Moycullen were victors last time these sides met, it is the visitors who will probably enter as slight favourites.
To win Moycullen will need to first neutralise the size advantage that Eagles possess. If they can, they have the speed to trouble Eagles, who have been great at times this season, while also losing to teams they would have been expected to beat.
"We only have three home games left this season so every one is really big for us," said player James Loughnane, who will be a worry for this weekend's game after suffering a wrist injury late in Monday's match.
"Limerick will be gunning for us after we upset them here last time, but we know we can take them and hopefully that confidence will help us if it is close at the end."
Moycullen: Luke Enos (17 ), James Loughnane (14 ), Cian Nihill (11 ), Dylan Cunningham (10 ), Salva Camps (8 ), Paddy Lyons (5 ), Michael Dowd, Paul O'Brien, Eoghan Maxwell, Nollaig Cunningham, Ian Burke.
