DIGEST: St Vincent's look certain to make the Superleague play-offs this season but they slipped off their Northern Conference perch on Saturday when going down 90-85 to Neptune in Dublin, writes Gavin Cummiskey.
The result gives much needed relief to the Cork club and new coach Michael Evans. The winning score came courtesy of a three-pointer from the ever reliable Stephen McCarthy.
St Vincent's three-week lay-off over Christmas hardly helped matters as Ballina's 99-94 defeat of the Tralee Tigers drops them to second spot, albeit with a game in hand on their Mayo rivals.
The Tigers' defeat sees them languishing fourth in the southern conference, level on 10 points with the Killarney Lakers and a further six points adrift of the Limerick Lions who recorded a 96-87 win over Killester at the UL Arena, also on Saturday.
The two sides meet again next Sunday in the cup semi-final at the national arena at 1pm.
In the woman's Superleague, the top three sides all recorded victories with Mercy's 76-62 triumph over UL-Aughinish keeping them two points clear of the reigning champions in third spot.
Results in SPORTS ROUND-UP
Robin Seymour returned to the top of Irish cyclo cross racing yesterday when he raced to his 14th national title in Corcagh Park, Clondalkin, writes Shane Stokes.
Seymour turned the tables on last year's victor, Roger Aiken (Banbridge CC), unleashing a last lap burst which broke the resolve of the Northern rider.
A disappointed Aiken slowed once Seymour opened an unassailable lead, finishing 26 seconds down, while Lewis Ferguson (Team BHB) outsprinted Niall Davis (IMBRC) for the bronze medal some four seconds later. Philip Roche and James McCluskey finished fifth and sixth, their results combining with that of Seymour to net Team WORC a consecutive team title.
Seymour has also retained the cross country moutainbike championships for 12 years and has also also taken one downhill gold medal. In all, the 34-year-old has won 27 Irish championships.
Robert Lamont (XMTB), Mark McKinley (Newry Wheelers) and Tarja Owens (Team WORC) were first veteran, junior and woman respectively in Clondalkin.
