WHEN you’re the cup minnows, and Hollywood’s just over the horizon, the road turns into a dirt-track, littered with mines and moments of dread.

Everything else tends to suffer by comparison in Cork when SuperLeague pride is at stake between UCC Demons and Neptune.

Cup fever grips the basketball fraternity in Ireland this weekend and for those taking part — it’s a rare opportunity to showcase their talents under an intense media glare.

The big two meet in the Nivea for Men’s SuperLeague play-off semi-final at the Mardyke on Sunday.

Mark Scannell has had some close-ups of UCC Demons during his first term as coach to Bord Gáis Neptune before tonight’s National Cup final against UL Eagles at the National Basketball Arena and he believes Demons are “hot favourites” to win.

AS CUP final weekend looms, it was an ideal examination of 11890 Killester’s mettle, and they came through a cracker, edging out Bord Gáis Neptune by a single point (63-62) in Nivea for Men’s Superleague action.

THIS IS the routine. The club’s U18s went up yesterday morning by bus, leaving at 9am, and some of the U20s went along. They all made Bewley’s in Newlands Cross early and the 18s then went to a nearby gym to shoot and get the journey out of their legs.

NEPTUNE will parade their new American signing for the first time when they travel to Belfast tomorrow to play Star in the Nivea for Men’s SuperLeague.

UCD DEMONS can copper-fasten their play-off hopes if they beat Limerick Lions in the NIVEA for MEN SuperLeague at the Mardyke Arena tonight on the back of what has been a great couple of weeks for the Cork club.

LIMERICK LIONS produced the shock result of the opening weekend of basketball’s men’s SuperLeague by pipping Merry Monk by a point in Ballina — and now their coach, Matt Hall, wants more of the same for the visit of DCU Saints to the UL Arena tomorrow night.

This weekend is the final weekend of the regular season in the Women’s SuperLeague. The top six have been decided, but this weekend teams will be playing for place.

NEWLY crowned Cup champions UCC Demons and beaten finalists Limerick Lions remain locked at the top of the Southern Conference table in the run-up to next weekend’s head to head following important victories in the NIVEA for MEN SuperLeague yesterday.

SUE ALTMAN has won Irish hearts but now the American who scored 35 points for DART Killester against Carna Transport Mercy in their Superleague semi-final on Sunday wants to win a National Cup medal.

Mustang Sally's, St Paul's 56 DART Killester 78

CASTLEISLAND waved goodbye to a special kind of sporting madness last night.