Portlaoise Panthers 97 Moy Tolka Rovers 94
National League Division 1 semi-final
Portlaoise Panthers can look forward to another big day out this season after they prevailed in a titanic battle with Moy Tolka Rovers in St Mary’s Hall on Saturday night to secure further passage through to this season’s Men’s Division 1 final.
The North Conference winners, who also made it as far as the President’s National Cup Final back in January, are now just one game away from promotion to the Super League ranks.
Portlaoise appeared poised to roll on to a comfortable victory in front of huge home support on Saturday after they served up a massive 38 points in the second quarter to open up a 13-point advantage by the half-time recess.
Tolka, however, were going nowhere and battled their way back on to level terms late in the third and again early in the fourth quarter.
But, just as they have done on so many occasions this season, Panthers made the stops and found the buckets when they needed them most, a late six-point run helping them regain some measure of control down the stretch to secure, what amounted to, a one-score victory.
James Phelan, Eric Anderson and Xabi Arriaga all exceeded the 20-point mark for Portlaoise on the night, as they combined for 66, while Davin McEvoy contributed a further 18, every bit of which was needed to see Panthers prevail.
The two sides remained neck and neck for much of the opening quarter, but a three from Emiliyan Grudov and deuce from Mike Wallace helped see the visitors take a 22-17 lead into the second quarter.
Portlaoise, however, stormed back in that period, helped, no end, by a 13-point run that featured big efforts from downtown by Arriaga and McEvoy, as the hosts took a 55-42 advantage into the break.
Yet Tolka were far from done and, with the aid of Daniel Ayoade and Samuel Badejo’s combined 17 points in the third, closed the gap to 73-71 by the end of that penultimate period before Wallace levelled it up at 73 points apiece early in the fourth.
The same player nudged Tolka ahead by three with almost seven minutes remaining, but Portlaoise responded with a triple by Phelan who later weighed in on a six-point run, along with Anderson, to help see Portlaoise to the win with Tolka snapping at their heels right to the end.
TOP SCORERS – Portlaoise Panthers: James Phelan (24), Eric Anderson (21), Xabi Arriaga (21), Davin McEvoy (18). Moy Tolka Rovers: Mike Wallace (24), Emiliyan Grudov (23), Daniel Ayoade (19), Elijah Faapito (12), Samuel Badejo (10).
PORTLAOISE PANTHERS: Cillian O’Connell, James Phelan, Eric Anderson, Davin McEvoy, Kevin Donohoe, Gary Morrissey, Xabi Arriaga, Liam Kinsella.
MOY TOLKA ROVERS: Daniel Ayoade, Mike Wallace, Rory Howe, Marcus Black, Elijah Faapito, Samuel Badejo, Stephen Commins, Emiliyan Grudov.
