BASKETBALL: The UCC Demons have the power, panache and sense of history that should drive them to a fourth cup title on Sunday at the National Arena in Tallaght. The Limerick Lions, certainly can equal them in the flair stakes but this test may have come a little too early in their development. A repeat of the 2002 triumph looks unlikely.
Even if the Demons' foreign brigade decide not to show up, home-grown talents Shane Coughlan and Niall O'Reilly are proven performers.
Americans Gary Johnson and Michael Doles bring big game experience to the Cork club having been involved in the NCAA competition in recent times. Then at 6ft 10in, Michael Plichta is a natural, left-handed, blocking centre who seems to relish the white heat of battle. For proof, take the 2004 final against Neptune or more recently, this season's 97-90 quarter-final victory over defending champions the Tralee Tigers.
By adding another American, Colin O'Reilly, and his 22-point scoring average, to the mix, it becomes hard to see anything but head coach Pat Price leading the Demons to a league and cup double in 2006.
Tom Hehir's Limerick have kept pace with the Demons in the Superleague but unless Robert Taylor and 37-year-old Ricardo Leonard produce career defining games, a quiet journey home awaits.
The contest tips off on Sunday at 3.0pm and is live on RTÉ.
The women's final, a re-run of last season's decider when Killester ended the three-year dominance of UL Aughinish, precedes the men's at 1pm.
When they recently crossed swords in the Superleague it came down to a battle between UL's Irish international Michelle Aspell and Killester's American Sue Altman. That contest was decided, marginally, by the greater scoring prowess of the Columbia University graduate.
There will be several individual head-to-heads - especially Carmel Kissane against Jillian Ahern - but Altman is expected to capture the MVP award that would ensure Killester make it 3-2 in cup victories over UL since 2002. Although the Limerick side arrive with unfinished business from last year, their abysmal league form gives Killester another edge. Tickets for Sunday can still be purchased online (www.basketballireland.com) or via the box office at 01-4597500.
Meanwhile, Ireland's first All-Star game since 1991 takes place tonight at 8.0pm, also at the National Arena, with St Vincent's Joey Boylan taking charge of the North Conference team, while Hehir doubles up as South Conference coach.
According to Basketball Ireland, Limerick players Robert Taylor, Jon Stevens, Robert Lynch and Neil Campbell will play in the game that takes place less than 48 hours before the main event.
All proceeds from the night go towards the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY). This endeavours to educate people about sudden cardiac death syndrome (SCD), which has made headlines in recent years due to the death of Tyrone footballer Cormac McAnallen and Irish under-19 rugby international John McCall.
Irish basketball has lost three players to SCD. Ross Cooney (18) died on November 20th, 1999, while representing the University of Limerick in the intervarsity tournament at the arena. The Tallaght venue, headquarters of Basketball Ireland, subsequently invested in a defibrillator and staff have been trained how to provide care for victims of sudden cardiac arrest.
In October 2005, second year UCC student Jason Foley died suddenly, while Neptune's Emmet Neville passed away three years ago this week.
NORTHERN CONFERENCE: J Turner, D Donnelly, E Donnelly (all St Vincent's), B Tomic, D Sealy, K O'Brien (all Killester), E Pellerin, P Pope, R McGarrity (all Ballina), D Langrell, S Summersgill (all Star of the Sea), B Lover (UCD).
SOUTHERN CONFERENCE: J Wingard, T Sullivan, E O'Brien (all Killarney Lakers), L O'Shea, K Donaghy, M Quirke (all Tralee Tigers), R Taylor, J Stevens, R Lynch, N Campbell (all Limerick Lions), G Noonan, D Smith, M McGinn (all Neptune).
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Tonight: All Stars Charity Game: North Conference v South Conference, 8.0. Saturday: Senior women's final: Longford Falcons v Team Blarney Park Hotel, 12.30; Senior men's final: Longford Falcons v Sligo All-Stars, 2.30; Junior women's final: Killester v UL-Aughinish, 6.0; Junior men's final: Shamrock Rovers Hoops v Killester, 8.0. Sunday: Superleague women's final: UL-Aughinish v Killester, 1.0; Superleague men's final: Limerick Lions v UCC Demons, 3.0.
(All at the National Arena, Tallaght)
