Ballina's American player Joseph McClean trained this week and his return to full fitness in time for the Sprite Cup quarter-final with Neptune tomorrow in Cork is a huge boost for the Mayo club.
McClean, who twisted an ankle four weeks ago, then made a premature return to action, only to pick up another injury a week later which seriously threatened to end his season in Ireland.
But Ballina were wise enough to hold on to his registration, and their patience has been rewarded as he has made a full recovery.
McClean had made a partial return in the defeat by Dungannon last week, scoring just six points. But the damaged ankle improved greatly in the subsequent days.
McClean completes one of the strongest Ballina line-ups for years, and his role as a shooting forward complements the inside talents of Chris Doyal, Liam McHale and Igor Bongevanni.
If Ballina are to reach the playoffs, they must get the better of a back-to-form Neptune, whose early season run of seven consecutive defeats came to an end last Saturday night with a spectacular 104-81 win over Killester. Three of the Cork club's Irish players, Tom O'Sullivan, Stephen McCarthy and Malcolm Thompson, reached double figures.
Neptune seem to have the right blend of foreign players with 6 ft 9 in Cuban Augusto Duquesne and 6 ft 1 in Harold Joiner combining well enough to trouble any team in the country.
This quarter-final has a special significance, as these teams fought out two superb cup finals this decade; Neptune triumphed in 1990, while Ballina won in 1991 and then added a second cup success in 1996. A crowd of at least 1,500 is expected at the Neptune stadium.
A capacity crowd of over 1,000 is assured as well at Tralee Sports Centre tomorrow where the 1995 cup winners play host to reigning Top Four champions Star of the Sea. The tie offers the Kerry club a chance to atone for a narrow, three-point defeat to Star in the league last Sunday.
St Vincent's have a big injury problem ahead of Sunday's northside derby cup tie against Division One team Tolka Rovers, who put out Superleague side Dungannon in the first round.
Not only is the St Vincent's Irish American star Dave Conlon highly unlikely to be fit due to sprained ankle ligaments, but his American replacement, Nigel Palmer, has been forced to return to England.
A key player in the tie could be Tolka's American Eric Stevens, who played for St Vincent's in the cup play-offs last season.
Cup holders Notre Dame are favoured to win easily against Cork regional league side Blue Demons in Tallaght on Sunday.
Although Notre Dame's player coach Anthony Jenkins limped off the court in the win over St Vincent's last weekend, he is fit to play a full part in Sunday's tie.
All four of the women's cup quarter-finals should provide victories for Wild Cats, Meteors, Tolka Rovers and Cup holders, Naomh Mhuire. These four have been clearly better than the remainder in the women's super.
Mhuire are involved in a Dublin derby away to Killester, and the league champions, Wild Cats, will be anxious to exact revenge over Blarney for a cup defeat.
