Fr Mathews, Cork 114
Scott’s Lakers St Paul’s 71
Enda Walshe reports
It’s not easy to sugar coat this one but the simplest way to put it is that, sometimes in sport, things can go right for you and things can go wrong for you.
Fr Mathews had the kind of night that comes once in a lifetime, hitting a season-high 114 points, shot 13 three pointers and even though he only played three quarters of the game, their main man Jonathan Garcia had 34 points.
Brian O’Neill hit five from downtown and Diego O’Herlihy had four as they blew the Lakers out of the water.
To best sum up the Lakers night’, Jack Ferguson, one of the best players in the league, didn’t register his first basket until 1.49 to go in the first half. As they might have said in the Roman Empire many moons ago, it truly was horribilis noctis.
The national league is at the top and there can be no doubt that Scotts Lakers can match anyone, provided they are at full strength. They headed to Cork without Aron Walker,
Ronan Collins and Mark O’Shea and, to be fair to the squad that lined out, they did their utmost.
But their game, the first half especially, was blighted by poor offence and multiple turnovers which lead to points the Leesiders only had to do the minimum to post.
Garcia was punisher-in-chief in that first quarter, hitting 15 points with good support from Diego O’Herlihy.
With the talismanic Jack Ferguson out of sorts, suffering the effects of a stomach bug, Jamie O’Sullivan, Eoin Carroll, Jack O’Sullivan and Senan O’Leary all battled manfully but could do little to prevent a 32-13 first quarter deficit.
The second quarter was a bit more competitive with Rui Saravia, Paul Clarke, Eoin Carroll and the returning Mark Sheehan all finding their range but just as the Lakers were getting off the canvas former player Brian O’Neill hit four three-pointers on the spin to send them tumbling back down.
With the game as good as done, with the half time score at 61-31, the Lakers played with a bit more abandon with team captain Rui Saravia, Ferguson and Senan O’Leary all chipping away. But as was their want, Fr Mathews kept their foot on their throats with O’Herlihy and Sean McManus pushing the lead out to 87-51.
With Ferguson visibly struggling, coach Lee took the opportunity to run the bench and that brought a renewed energy to proceedings.
Oisin Spring, Eoin Carroll, Mark Sheehan and Jack O’Sullivan were all integral to the prestigious Castleisland Blitz under 18 win the night previous and they brought a freshness alongside Saravia and Clarke.
Fr Mathews, not to be denied, ran their bench too and the final buzzer signalled a 114-71 win for the home it’s side.
It was a night to forget for the Lakers but important to make it a reference point for the future as the squad faces three important games in January.
With Walker and Collins returning next weekend and Ferguson back to health, that derby day clash with Killarney Cougars is just the fixture you want to bounce back.
Top scorers Rui Saravia (16), Jack Ferguson (11), Senan O’Leary (9), Jamie O’Sullivan (7), Eoin Carroll (7), Paul Clarke (6), Marko Bencic (5), Jack O’Sullivan (5), Mark Sheehan (4), Oisin Spring (1).
For the victors Jonathan Garcia shot 34, Diego O Herlihy (18), Brian O Neill (17) and Owen Connolly (13).
KillarneyToday.com: It’s the talk of the town. Call 087-2229761 to advertise
