SSE Renewables Moycullen are preparing for a physically tough assignment against DCU Saints in Dublin on Saturday evening.
Their continued improvement throughout this premier league season may not have resulted in as many wins as they would have hoped, but Moycullen will be keen to ensure their recent form continues for this last away game of the season.
Last weekend in the Jes, Moycullen ultimately lost to Killester by 84-62, but they will take some positives from that performance when they head to Dublin. It was a much better showing compared with their visit to Killester earlier in the season and they continue to improve individually and collectively as the season progresses.
Currently sitting joint top of the table, the Dublin team had arrived in Galway full of confidence with the longest winning streak in the country. While they left with that winning streak intact, SSE Renewables really put it up to the league kingpins and gave a good account of themselves against one of the best in the country.
Killester’s class was particularly evident in a scintillating third quarter when they pushed out a hard-fought half-time lead of six points to make the game more comfortable in the final quarter.
The first half was end-to-end with the Dublin team looking to push the fast break with every opportunity and SSE Renewables Moycullen giving as good as they got. With Mike Callaghan once again proving to be a real handful on both ends of the court, Moycullen were getting good looks at the basket, which they converted. By the end of a high scoring up-tempo quarter, the visitors lead was five points.
Some excellent defence from Eoghan Maxwell and Dylan Cunningham, who finished with a combined eight steals, really helped the cause and although the lead had grown slightly, Moycullen were right in the game.
However Killester turned the screw after three minutes of the third when they went on a 10-0 run to create some breathing space for themselves.
Although Moycullen stopped the rot through some Paul O’Brien scores, the damage had been done. The very welcome return of Sean Candon, back from another lengthy absence, helped Moycullen on the scoreboard, but the lead was maintained for the remainder of the fourth quarter.
SS Renewables Moycullen: Mike Callaghan 27, Dylan Cunningham 15, Paul O’Brien 12, Sean Candon 5, Ronan O’Sullivan 2, Ian Burke 2, Eoghan Maxwell, Darragh Mulkerrins, Stephen O’Brien, Tomas Gilson, Gerald Lyons, Nollaig Cunningham.