AS rough and challenging a week as it has been for the country and sport, it has generally been perceived as a good one for Irish basketball.

The governing body’s Men’s National Competitions Committee (MNCC) has confirmed that Belfast Star have been declared champions

IT’S March now, which in recent years has invariably meant a dramatic conclusion to Irish basketball’s men’s SuperLeague, just as April always guarantees us unmissable theatre in the form of a Sunday in Augusta.

John Fogarty previews the weekend's GAA fixtures.

Irrespective of who takes home the silverware from Fitzgerald Stadium Saturday afternoon, the Corn Uí Mhuirí is remaining in Kerry. Indeed, barring Coláiste Chríost Rí’s brief interruption of Kerry dominance in 2011, the Munster colleges' senior football crown has not left the Kingdom in 14 years.

Sports Dispute Solutions Ireland (SDSI) are to adjudicate on a controversy which has rocked the Men’s SuperLeague.

Superleague pacesetters Garvey’s Tralee Warriors have won their appeal against a points deduction imposed for incorrectly registering American, Andre Berry, sources say.

Our writers look ahead to the major talking points ahead of the weekend's Allianz League action.

Griffith College Templeogue bid to take a giant leap towards completing a National Cup and Men’s Super League double when they host Garvey’s Tralee Warriors at the Nord Anglian International School.

A year on from Kevin McCarthy’s Croke Park hat-trick which sealed AIB All-Ireland intermediate club success for Kilcummin, his pal and namesake Ian repeated the trick for Na Gaeil in the junior decider.

Breaking the glass ceiling in Kerry was always the biggest step for the county’s youngest club, Na Gaeil.

A huge first-quarter display from the Tralee school was ultimately what secured them victory.

Pyrobel Killester produced the shock of the weekend in the Men’s Super League when defeating in-form DBS Eanna 86-73 at Coláiste Eanna.

The eagerly awaited meeting of Tralee CBS and Hamilton High School Bandon in the quarter-final of Corn Uí Mhuirí turned into a damp squib as the Green overpowered the Hammies to emerge 18-point winners.

Letterkenny IT’s first-ever outing in the Sigerson Cup proved to be a successful one as they easily brushed aside the challenge of Athlone IT at the home of the midlands college.

The planned construction of an indoor training facility at Musgrave Park moved a step closer tonight with Munster Rugby receiving a €1.512m grant from the Government’s Large-Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund.

Eanna coach Darrem McGovern believes his side were at the wrong end of a vital decision in this game.

Belfast Star produced their best performance of the season to defeat Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 84-81 in a thrilling Men’s Super League clash at De La Salle College on Saturday night.

Shares in Kerry Group fell by close to 3% after it lost out in the race to buy the nutrition division of American conglomerate DuPont, in what would have been a potentially transformative deal for the Tralee-based food business.

There's two senior provincial finals and three All-Ireland ladies finals in store this weekend.

Michael Houghton says he has hit upon a framework that will play a key role in building a long-lasting dividend from Irish hockey’s recent successes.

It is unusual to find a team heading into a provincial club fixture having not played championship in seven weeks. Then again, it is an unusual position Austin Stacks find themselves in.

Rathmore’s Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra made a winning return to the Corn Uí Mhuirí, defeating last season’s semi-finalists, Clonakilty Community College, in their Group B opener.

St Brendan’s upset the odds when they defeated 2015 finalists Killarney Legion in the first of this year’s Garvey’s Kerry SFC quarter-finals at Austin Stack Park.

C&S Neptune remain unbeaten in the Men’s Super League after a terrific 79-75 win over UCD Marian. The only other undefeated side are newly promoted Eanna, who inflicted a shock 87-70 defeat on Garvey’s Tralee Warriors.

Paul Geaney led the way as Dingle qualified for the Kerry SFC quarter-finals with a deserved victory over Kerins O’Rahilly’s in a closely-fought contest at Páirc an Ághasaigh on Saturday evening.

This eagerly anticipated affair didn’t disappoint as East Kerry overcame a strong second-half comeback by Austin Stacks to run out six-point winners and dump the Tralee club out of the championship.

Limerick’s team spirt proved key as the Munster champions beat Courtown to set up the chance of All Ireland glory at Knightsbrook Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort today.

A Gearóid Savage point in the fifth minute of second-half stoppages - which was the substitute’s first involvement in proceedings - handed victory to Kerins O’Rahilly’s in this entertaining Kerry SFC first-round fixture.

The Men’s Super League kicks off in earnest tomorrow with the big game of the weekend at Neptune Stadium between C&S Neptune and Keane’s Supervalu Killorglin.

All-Ireland winning Kerry footballer Mike Quirke will be put forward for ratification as the new Laois manager on Monday next.

Kinsale must plan without star player John Murphy for tomorrow’s Munster AIG Barton Shield semi-final in Tramore.

IT Tralee has secured over €1.16m in funding and 472 places in the State’s Springboard+ initiative for 2019/2020.

European election candidates had spent almost €60,000 combined on Facebook advertising up to last Sunday, figures made available by the social media giant have revealed.

Business ambitions do not always go to plan, as last week’s floatation of Uber confirmed.

Almost €1.74 million has been paid out from the court poor box to various charities in 2018, according to figures released by the Courts Service.

The guitar-shaped Ormond’s Island lies close to the Cork/ Kerry border on the mountainous Beara Peninsula with the Kingdom just able to claim it by dint of a few kilometres.

Mortimer Murphy Kerry Colleges Russell Cup final

So it all comes down to this. Whatever Basketball Ireland is paying its marketing team, it’s not enough as they’ve conjured the ultimate final regular season weekend of the Superleague season. Three rivals for the title, two facing each other in back to back fixtures Saturday and Sunday.

C & S Neptune are staring Division 1 basketball in the face after their 96-81 home defeat to Keane’s Supervalu Killorglin left them in deep relegation trouble. In a game where the Kerry side dominated from start to finish a 25-point game high contribution from Daniel Jokubaitis paved the way for Killorglin’s impressive display.

IT Tralee manager Liam Brosnan accused the referee of 'targeting' their Kerry county players as the college exited the Sigerson Cup with 12 men and lost Kerry defender Gavin Crowley to injury.

The Hannigan brothers — James and Scott — lit up the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght yesterday as they powered Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG to U19A Boys Subway Schools Cup glory. The pair hit 53 points between them in a 68-79 victory over Mercy Mounthawk. Their scoring coupled with a superb display from David Lehane, secured a deserved title for the Cork side.

Tralee is buzzing for hoops. The Complex is gripped by Saturday night fever. Even football people are backing the basketball team in their droves and they’re not just following the Star. First cousins Darren and Fergal O’Sullivan are important figures in the Tralee success story. Ahead of tonight’s National Cup semi-final with Pyrobel Killester at the Mardyke Arena, they explain how a town became united behind the Warriors