Basketball - Bosnia 74 Ireland 59: Only an ideal turn in fortunes can now take the Irish senior men to next year's European Championship finals. At the National Arena on Saturday the understrength side gave all they had yet still fell short of the crucial win.

Except for a brief spell in the opening quarter they were always chasing Bosnia, who ended up with 11 three-pointers compared to Ireland's hard-earned five.

There were some inspired performances for Ireland, most of all in newcomer Glenn Sekunda and Jay Larranaga, yet the daunting physique and ruthless offensive rebounding of Bosnia was simply too much to handle. Any time Ireland threatened a comeback it was quickly smothered.

In Damir Mrsic Bosnia had a three-point shooter who could wipe away in a single moment many minutes of hard work by Ireland. Three other players, most notably Jasmin Hukic, also got into the high-scoring antics.

BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA: R Terrel Castle (7), S Leric (8), I Opacak (2), J Hukic (20), D Pinjuh (1), B Krasic (9), D Mrsic (20), K Bajramovic, E Ovcina (7), E Jalvin.

IRELAND: G Maguire, B Donlon (3), A Fulton, D Sealy (3), M Conlon (12), J Larranage (15), T Kennedy (6), J O'Connell, G Sekunada (20).