Panthers suffer first National League loss after being chased down by Wolves

ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers 95 

Drogheda Wolves 100 

ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers coughed up a 20-point lead against Drogheda Wolves as they suffered their very first loss of the 2024/25 Men’s Division One season in St. Mary’s Hall on Monday evening.

Only two days after putting Killarney Cougars to the sword to extend their perfect National League run to 13 games, the North Conference leaders looked to be on course to enhancing that impressive record as they opened up a 43-23 lead on Drogheda almost midway through the second quarter.

But Wolves were not about to suffer a third defeat at the hands of their Portlaoise rivals this season, and driven on by Christian Simmons and Denzel Ebose, who combined for 47 points on the day, they fought their way back on to level terms early in the fourth before edging clear in the closing 30 seconds for their third win on the bounce.

It was a gut-wrenching defeat for Jack Scully’s side, who still had four players in double figures by the close of the proceedings, including James Phelan and Eric Anderson on a combined 46 points.

Indeed, having had their opponents on the ropes in the opening half, this is one Portlaoise will certainly feel they left behind.

It was very much an arm wrestle throughout much of the opening quarter, Portlaoise breaking from the blocks with buckets from Phelan and Anderson, only to see Drogheda overtake by a point after Stephen Safo and Adam Mullally served up a deuce either side of a big three from Simmons.

Indeed, it remained tight until seven minutes in when Panthers went on a 10-point run, Phelan draining shots from both sides of the arc as well as the free-throw line to see the hosts 26-19 in front by the end of the first quarter.

Scully’s side made a blistering start to the second, with an eight-point run being, soon after, followed by seven unanswered points that propelled them ahead by 20.

Liam Kinsella was starting to make his presence very much felt as he quickly chalked up eight points with buckets on the inside along with a big effort from downtown, while Cillian O’Connell also struck from the paint.

But just when it looked like Portlaoise might be coasting, back came Drogheda with a 10-point surge, Safo taking two from the free-throw line, before Denzel Ebose added a further four from the floor.

And, while Gary Morrissey arrested that run with a timely three for Portlaoise, Wolves continued to chip away at the deficit, Tiago Pereira, Safo and Ebose all getting in to cut the gap to just six points (52-46) by the half-time recess.

The visitors carried that momentum into the third, as a Simmons deuce followed hot on the heels of his three to leave just the very minimum between the sides less than a minute after the break.

Panthers finally got going again, taking the next six points, Xabi Arriaga finding the target from distance while Anderson delivered on the inside.

The home side managed to pushed their lead back out to 13, but they suffered a disappointing close to the third quarter as an Ebose three was followed by two from the free-throw line by Pereira to make it an eight-point game heading into the fourth.

Again, Drogheda began to eat into the Portlaoise advantage and when Simmons drained both of his free throws, the sides were all square at 74 points apiece with just over eight minutes remaining.

It set the stage for a titanic tussle down the stretch that saw the lead change hands six more times before Drogheda produced the decisive scores in the closing 30 seconds, Ebose serving up a deuce before Simmons took three more points from the line.

ND AUDIT PORTLAOISE PANTHERS: Cillian O’Connell, James Phelan, Eric Anderson, Davin McEvoy, Gary Morrissey, Xabi Arriaga, Aleksandar Kovacevic, Liam Kinsella.

Top Scorers: James Phelan (26), Eric Anderson (20), Xabier Arriaga (17), Liam Kinsella (14).

DROGHEDA WOLVES: Stephen Safo, Robert Sullivan, Adam Mullally, Denzel Ebose, Tiago Pereira, Christian Simmons, Francisco Dias.

Top Scorers: Christian Simmons (24), Denzel Ebose (23), Adam Mullally (19), Tiago Pereira (17), Stephen Safo (12).