Ireland men conclude friendly series against Denmark with 90-79 defeat

Ireland men fell to a 90-79 defeat to Denmark on Saturday night, despite an improved performance in the second game of their friendly series at the National Basketball Arena in Dublin.

A late rally in the fourth quarter, which saw Ireland cut a 16-point deficit to just three with less than four minutes remaining  was not enough and Denmark scored nine of the final 13 points in the contest to seal back to back wins over Mark Keenan’s side.

In contrast to game one, it was the Danes who shot out of the blocks, building a 9-2 lead inside the opening two minutes. Andreas Holst and Dane Erikstrup - who’d end the contest with 26 points – hit three consecutive threes between them, with Ireland only able to muster a solitary bucket from Taiwo Badmus in response. Badmus would finish as the game’s top scorer with 28.

Sam Alajiki and Neal Quinn combined to bring some life to a packed Irish crowd and when John Carroll hit his first shot of the game from beyond the arc, they trailed by just two, 16-18 with 2:01 to go in the quarter. However it was the away side who finished stronger, extending their advantage to five at the close of play, 18-23.

Incredible efficiency from beyond the arc saw Denmark grow their lead to 11 points by the midway point of the second period. Liam Churchill checked in from the bench to make two, while Erikstrup had his best quarter of the game, totalling 11-points including four from the free-throw line. Alajiki and Badmus brought the score to 34-48 with two minutes remaining in the half, before another bit of inspiration from the bench – this time in green.

Aidan Quinn, checking in for his first minutes for Ireland since 2022 made an instant impact, forcing the Danes to call timeout after hitting two threes in succession in front of the Irish bench, which was now on its feet. They were joined by the crowd when Sean Flood’s second swish from range brought the game to 45-52, however there was still time for Liam Churchill to drain the atmosphere once more, his second three had it a ten point lead, 55-45 at the interval.

Denmark put the foot down in the third. Tobias Jensen struck from the corner to make it 71-58 with three minutes and change left in the quarter. Ireland would have been forgiven for thinking the game was out of reach, but this couldn’t have been further from the truth.

Flood and Alajiki made their third three point shots of the contest either side of nice work inside by Neal Quinn and following a couple of defensive stops, Ireland were now within touching distance at 72-78. Griffith College Éanna’s Sean Jenkins had the crowd believing when he found his range to leave just three between them and the clock ticking inside four minutes. It was at this point that Denmark ragained their composure – and ability to make shots from three – and they manage to re-establish their earlier lead by the time the buzzer sounded.

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Quarter Scores:

Q1:18-23  Q2: 27-32  Q3: 13-19, Q4: 21-16

Game Scores:

Q1:18-23, Q2: 45-55  Q3:58-74  Q4: 79-90

Ireland:

Adrian O’Sullivan (0), Sean Jenkins (5), Sean Flood (13), Aidan Quinn (6), James Beckom (0), James Gormley (0), Taiwo Badmus (28), Matt Treacy (2), Sam Alajiki (14), Neal Quinn (6), James Hannigan (0), John Carroll (5).

Denmark:

David Kristensen (2), Andreas Rosenkrantz Holst (9), Sylvester Berg (0), Adam Heede-Andersen (2), Liam Churchill (17), Mads Bonde (11), Anton Østoft (5), Gustav Suhr Jessen (2), Dane Erikstrup (26), Tobias Jensen (11), Tomas Atli Bjarkason (0), Gustav Winther (5)