Conor Meaney: What next for Ireland after near miss in World Cup pre-qualifying?

Despite the progress that the Ireland men's team has made, there will naturally be questions about what route Basketball Ireland will go with Mark Keenan and his coaching staff. 

LEADING THE WAY: Sean Flood scored a game-high 23 points for Ireland against Azerbaijan. Pic: Basketball Ireland

Ireland top Azerbaijan 79-64 in Baku 

Ireland’s bid to make it through their 2027 World Cup pre-qualification group came up just short despite a fantastic 24-point win away to Azerbaijan. Captain Sean Flood led the way hitting 3 threes on his way to a game-high 23 points as Ireland finished the group with a 3-3 record.