Limerick Eagles saw off Ballincollig 96-67 in the Superleague on Friday evening. The hosts put together a performance that kept the visitors at arm's length from the opening whistle. By then, it was clear this wouldn't be a close contest. And here's the thing — the result tells only part of the story.
Ballincollig sit top of the table after 22 games, with 17 wins and five defeats. They've been the team to beat this season, but Limerick made life difficult at home. To be fair, the Eagles had already shown they could compete with the leaders earlier this month.
The visitors started brightly enough, but the home side clawed their way back into the game. Limerick's defence tightened when it mattered, and Ballincollig gave away too many cheap fouls in the third quarter. The home crowd felt it — a sell-out crowd that kept knocking on the door of victory. The old head settled them down when the visitors threatened to pull away.
These two sides met just last week when Limerick won 70-68, and this result extended that winning run against Ballincollig. The visitors have been inconsistent away from home this season, losing five of their 22 matches. Meanwhile, Limerick's 117-78 victory over DCU Saints on October 3rd showed they can raise the tempo when they need to.
The 29-point margin leaves Ballincollig's lead at the top of the table looking less secure than it did. Limerick fancy their chances if they can replicate this defensive intensity. The gap between the teams might be smaller than the table suggests by then.