"We don't plan on giving up our title without a fight," said Griffith College Swords Thunder head coach Dave Baker as he looked ahead to the opening game of the Hula Hoops Pat Duffy National Cup this weekend, which sees eight of the 12 men's Super League teams in action.
The reigning cup champions will take on DCU Saints at the ALSAA on Saturday evening in a one-off clash that will see the winner advance to the quarter-finals on the first weekend of December.
“We’re really excited to be opening our cup campaign against DCU this weekend and beginning the defence of our title,” Baker continued. “Current league form means nothing. When it comes to results in the cup, there are no easy games.”
Elsewhere, Black Amber Templeogue will be hoping that they can do enough when they welcome an in-form Belfast Star to Oblate Hall on Saturday evening, while KUBS go head to head with UCC Demons. On Sunday, all eyes will be on Galway for the local derby battle between Moycullen and Maree, with the latter hoping to cause a major upset to progress on in the cup.
In the Men's Division One, meanwhile, the opening round of the Hula Hoops Men's President's Cup also gets under way this weekend, with cup holders Neptune set to do battle with IT Carlow Basketball.
"Carlow is one of the toughest gyms in the country to play in," said Neptune head coach Paul Kelleher. "They are playing at a high level at the moment and scoring in bunches. We know that we will have to be at our best defensively and offensively. This is an encounter that we have to be tactically and mentally ready for."
Women’s Super League
It's another busy weekend of games in the Women's Super League this weekend, with Ambassador UCC Glanmire travelling to Galway to take on NUIG Mystics. Mystics come in to the game off the back of a tough start to the season, which includes losses against IT Carlow Basketball, Courtyard Liffey Celtics and Singleton SuperValu Brunell, while Glanmire made it two wins from two last weekend.
Brunell will travel to Leixlip to take on Courtyard Liffey Celtics. Both sides come into the game unbeaten and an interesting battle lies in store as Brunell's Breana Bey goes head to head with Jazmen Boone.
Elsewhere, Portlaoise Panthers travel to Pyrobel Killester, with both sides hoping to get their first win of the season on the board.
And IT Carlow Basketball – who almost made big headlines last week following a closely contested clash with Ambassador UCC Glanmire – will be hoping to improve on that performance and cause an upset against DCU Mercy on Sunday.
