BASKETBALL: The Superleague may only be a few weeks old but Limerick appear to be the only team capable of denying the UCC Demons more silverware.

Things may change but on Saturday evening it was Limerick who showed the resolve of champions to fend off a St Vincent's team desperately keen to atone for last week's capitulation at home to Ballina.

It took some inspirational defence from Robert Taylor in the game's final minute to ensure the Dublin club didn't even get an opportunity to tie the contest.

Jon Stevens scored the last of his 40 points to push Limerick clear with 12 seconds remaining but back came St Vincent's, only for Taylor to regain possession, draw a foul before extending the lead to three from the free-throw line. He then got a vital block in just before the buzzer.

Limerick are equal, on eight points, with the Cork men at the top of the southern conference but they have played one more game. They will be hard pressed to repeat the Demons's feat of winning comfortably in Tralee next Saturday.

UCC continued their impressive record on the road by beating northern conference leaders Ballina. It finished 112 to 99 with Jason Whtye and Steven Miles impressing for the visitors but the individual performance of the weekend must go to Ballina's American Evan Pellerin who left the court on Saturday night with 45 points to his name.

The westerners were hindered by the absence of Ronan McGarrity, who is abroad, and the injured Paul Barrett.

Both UCD and Tralee are still in touch with the leaders of their respective conferences. However, it is the Kerry club that appeared to turn a corner this week by winning in Dublin. Kieran Donaghy and Roscoe Patterson managed to shoot 19 points each, the same total Australian Luke O'Hea managed all by himself, while John Teehan has also hit form.

Elsewhere, the Killarney Lakers beat Killester 86 to 78, while Neptune put a poor run of results behind them to beat Star of the Sea at home.