Still at the top of the table after nine games, O'Hagan Saints' position may flatter to deceive as they crashed this weekend with two home defeats. Without Stephen McGuirk and Gerry Noone, both of whom are injured, they fell 70-73 to Frosties Tigers and 88-100 to Belfast's Star of the Sea.

Their only consolation was that Big Al's Notre Dame, one of the three sides in second place with 10 points, also dropped points in their visit to mid-table Neptune.

Saints trailed the Tigers 36-38 at half time and were still very much in the match, but, lacking that extra edge, could not dominate the court. Against Star of the Sea, the Dubliners got off to a poor start and although the final quarter of the match saw the Saints bring the game to within three points with five minutes remaining, Star ran out convincing 12-point winners.

In the first televised game of the season, Neptune rose to the occasion against Notre Dame in a close tussle between the 2000 league and cup champions. It was Notre Dame who chased for most of the match and went into the third quarter eight points adrift. Notre Dame had their chance in the dying seconds, but Anthony Jenkins missed a vital opportunity and Neptune swept up the rebound to nail the match.

In the ESB Women's League, Wildcats comprehensively out-played University of Limerick 80-41 to stride out on their own at the top of the table. Thorn Killester put their first points on the board with a 74-67 win over Meteors, whose reliance on the three-point shot may have cost them dearly.