BASKETBALL:ULSTER ELKS' search for their first win of the season continues at home to Moycullen in the latest round of Nivea For Men's SuperLeague fixtures, while Neptune will be bidding to maintain their good form of late away to Hoops.
UCC Demons welcome DCU Saints for the second time in a fortnight and the Southern Conference leaders UL Eagles are set for a trip to Belfast Star.
Ulster Elks’ Irish international Ian O’Boyle is hoping Sunday’s clash with Moycullen marks the end of their miserable start to the season. “We are at a loss as to how we haven’t won a game yet,” he said. “We have to turn things around quickly. We have been working hard in training and we have to keep believing that we can get back on the right track. They (Moycullen) will travel in confidence after getting their first win at home to UCD/Marian last weekend.”
Dylan Cunningham’s three pointer on the buzzer last weekend was enough to signal Moycullen’s first scalp of the season. “They (Ulster Elks) seem to have it all on paper and they are far better than their record suggests and we are under no illusions about the task ahead,” said Moycullen head coach Enda Byrt. “It was great to get the win against UCD/Marian but the players never lost confidence, kept working and got the result they deserved.”
Moycullen are still without Garnett Griffin (knee injury) but Byrt is hopeful the player will return before Christmas.
Neptune, who are third in the Southern Conference, will be looking to thwart Hoops this weekend by restricting their star duo Carlton Aaron and Phil Taylor. “Hoops have won two of their last three, and we’ll have our hands full with Carlton Aaron and Phil Taylor, who pose an excellent inside-outside combination,” said Neptune head coach Pat Price. “We are pleased with our improvements on the defensive end in the past three weeks and our bench has made valuable contributions. We are hoping for a very big performance from our forwards.”
A full-strength Hoops saw their recent revival halted by UCD/Marian but their head coach Ahmad Smith is pleased with his side’s improvement after a dismal start. “Two out of three wins is not bad and at least we are heading in the right direction,” he said. “We are getting a little bit of consistency and we are not turning the ball over as much as we were doing at the start of the season.”
UCC Demons will be looking to inflict more woe on DCU Saints after recently knocking them out of the National Cup. DCU Saints are sweating over the fitness of Eoin Quill, while Martins Provizors may also miss out again due to family commitments.
Rob McMurrin remains doubtful for Belfast Star’s clash at home to UL Eagles, the only unbeaten side remaining in the SuperLeague. UL’s latest success came at home to DCU Saints.
Meanwhile, in the IrishSport.TV Women’s SuperLeague, unbeaten duo UL and Team Montenotte Hotel Cork face Killester and Meteors respectively, while DCU Mercy make the short trip to Tolka Rovers. UL are boosted by the return of April Cahalane, but the league leaders will be without Lorraine Scanlon and Rhiannon McNulty as they face a tricky clash in the shape of Killester.
Tolka Rovers continue to be without the experienced Emma Dyer ahead of their clash at home to DCU Mercy. Meteors are without long-term injury absentee Nicky O’Brien (Achilles), while Lorraine Scully is a doubt (back injury) ahead of Sunday’s tie with Team Montenotte Hotel Cork.
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Tonight – Men’s Division One – Portlaoise v Team Garvey’s St Mary’s, St Mary’s Sports Hall, 9pm.
Saturday – Men’s SuperLeague: Hoops v Neptune, Greendale, 7.30. Women’s SuperLeague: Tolka Rovers v DCU Mercy, Tolka Rovers Sports Complex, 6pm; Killester v UL Basketball Club, IWA Clontarf, 6.30. Men’s Division One: Maree v Team Meadowlands St Brendan’s, Calasanctius College, Oranmore, 4pm; Titans v Waterford, Renmore, 7pm; Tolka Rovers v Ballon, Tolka Rovers SC, 7.30; Queen’s v Team Loftus Ballina, Queen’s PEC, 7.30. Women’s Division One: UL Basketball Club v Brunell, UL Arena, 5pm; St Paul’s v Team Kilkenny, Killarney Sports Complex, 7.30.
Sunday – Men’s SuperLeague: Ulster Elks v Moycullen, University of Ulster HPC, 3pm; UCC Demons v DCU Saints, Parochial Hall; 3.15; Belfast Star v UL Eagles, Queen’s University, 3.45. Women’s SuperLeague: Meteors v Team Montenotte Hotel Cork, Shoreline Leisure Centre, Greystones, 2.45. Women’s Division One: Liffey Celtics v Thurles Knights, Leixlip Amenity Centre, 4pm. Men’s Under-18 National Cup quarter-final: Maree v St Vincent’s, Calasanctius, Oranmore, 4pm. Women’s Under-18 National Cup quarter-final: Claregalway v Waterford Wildcats, Claregalway Community Centre, 4pm.
