Basketball Weekend previewThis weekend sees the resumption of the Superleague. In the men's competiton Shamrock Rovers, under new coach Bride Saunders, face Killester at the National Arena tonight.
Rovers then travel north to face Star of the Sea tomorrow night at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown, although underage international star Ciarán White is almost certainly ruled out due to a groin strain picked up while engineering Rovers' safe passage to the under-19 cup final.
"Obviously, Ciarán's priority has to be the junior final and not having him available is a big blow, but injuries are a fact of life in sport and we have the players to come in and do a good job for us," said Saunders.
Star hope to secure the services of Nate Connolly before tomorrow's game. The American has experience in the Austrian and Portuguese leagues. Scott Summersgill is fully fit but Robert McMurrin is still out with a cracked shoulder blade.
The favourites for the league and cup double, UCC Demons, are without starting forward James Whyte who is sidelined with a shoulder injury, ruling him out of Sunday's meeting with the Killarney Lakers, who lie third in the southern conference. With one eye on the cup final, the Lakers will see this as a prime opportunity to solidify their play-off spot.
Limerick are the only other team capable of achieving the double - making tonight's meeting with Neptune vital to keep pressure on the southern conference leaders. The Cork club are hoping new signing Johnnie Gilbert can help them build on the recent victory over of St Vincent's.
Tomorrow, Ballina should be too strong for UCD, while St Vincent's host Killester in the north Dublin derby.
In the Women's Superleague, Killester play an ailing St Paul's. Elsewhere, Mercy play the Wildcats, UL Aughinish travel to Dublin to face a Meteors side without the injured Sinéad Harvey and Glanmire host the Dynamos.
MEN'S SUPERLEAGUE: Tonight - Shamrock Rovers Hoops v Killester, National Arena, 8.0. Neptune v Limerick Lions, Neptune Stadium, 8.30. Tomorrow - Star of the Sea v Shamrock Rovers Hoops, UUJ, 7.15. St Vincent's v Killester, St Vincent's CBS, 7.30. Ballina v UCD, Ballina SC, 8.0. Sunday: Men's Superleague UCC Demons v Limerick, Mardyke Arena, 3.15 WOMEN'S SUPERLEAGUE: Saturday - Killester v ST Vincent's, Greendale, 6.0. Mercy v Wildcats, Mount Temple, 6.30. Meteors v UL/Aughinish, St Olafs, 6.45. Glanmire v Dynamos, Little Island, 7.30.
