The Killorglin club have a double header next weekend, first at home to Belfast Star on Saturday and then away to Killester on Bank Holiday Monday
Griffith Collage Eanna 80
Flexachem Killorglin 68
Flexachem KCYMS Killorglin’s fourth game of the season saw them in the capital again on Saturday taking reigning Super League champions, Griffith Collage Eanna, and despite the visitors giving a very good account of themselves, they came away from Dublin on the back of a 12-point defeat.
Killorglin took an early lead with scores from Nathaniel Powell and a three-pointer from Jordon Blount, and four minutes into the quarter Killorglin led 9-2.
Both sides exchanged scores before two quick scores by Eanna’s American Josh Wilson had the game tied at 11 each. Killorglin hit back with scores from Blount and Clay Ladine, and despite two inside scores from Eanna centre James Gormley, the visitors led 22-19 at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter saw Sean Jenkins score an early three to level the game, but good scoring by Flexachem’s Blount, Beni Fungala, Ladine and Eche Okeke kept the away team well in contention, and at half time Killorglin still held their three-point lead, 39 to 36.
The third quarter saw both side exchanging early scores, before Eanna’s Gormley scored two inside shots to put the home side ahead for the first time. Gormley was proving a real handful, with Killorglin calling a time out to try and steady the ship. But on resumption Gormley again got an inside score.
Flexachem were guilty of several wasted chances and things were beginning to look ominous for the Kerry side and in the last two minutes of the quarter Eanna racked up 14 points, which included four three-pointers. By the end of the third quarter Eanna had outscored Killorglin by 30 points to 8 and led 66-47.
Team Flexachem started the fourth quarter with a run of 10 points scored by Blount, Okeke and Ladine, which cut Eanna’s lead to nine points on a scoreline of 66-57. Eanna called a time out to try and it worked with Wilson scoring six and Jenkins two to push the home team’s lead back out to 17 points.
The quarter closed with Eanna adding another six to Flexachem’s 11 but the Dublin side held out for a 12-point win.
This was Team Flexachem’s first defeat of the season against a very good Eanna team. Lessons will be learned from this defeat and improvements will be implemented. On the positive side for the Kerry outfit, they showed good team spirit and redemptive qualities, reducing a 19-point deficit to nine early in the fourth quarter.
Team Flexachem now prepare for another double header over the bank holiday weekend, first at home to Belfast Star on Saturday in the Killorglin Sports Complex at 7.15 and away to Killester on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon.
