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.

This wasn’t just about scrapping for the sweet, if short term prize of a National Cup final berth on January 27. This was about marking out territory in Cork for the future.

After the Men’s Cup action a week ago, the Women’s National Cup takes centre stage this weekend, with the four quarter-finals in the newly-named Paudie O’Connor Cup.

There will be no love lost in the Women’s Super League Cork derby on Sunday when UCC Glanmire host newly promoted Fr Mathews at the Mardyke Arena (1.15pm).

Basketball stalwart Jimmy Diggins received a standing ovation when he was presented with Basketball Ireland President’s Award at the National Arena on Saturday.

He suffered heartache and bitter frustration in the dying moments of the National Cup final, but there was a tincture of consolation yesterday for passionate UCD Marian head coach Ioannis Liapakis, named SuperLeague coach of the year.

Ambassador UCC Glanmire were crowned Women’s Super League champions following a thrilling 76-63 win over Liffey Celtics at Waterford IT on Saturday night .

Take it as a given that Thomas O’Gorman will pick up Colm Cooper on Sunday.

Bill Linnane spends a spell on Speyside and discovers how Scottish distillers have a lot to teach the booming Irish whiskey trade.

A dog was stabbed 12 times by a man foraging for mushrooms near Monkstown Golf Club and, yesterday, two men gave conflicting accounts of the incident.

East Kerry 1-16 An Ghaeltacht 0-16

Scruffy’s St Paul’s claimed the Basketball Ireland Senior Women’s Cup to end a miserable day for rivals Tralee Imperials at the National Basketball Arena on Saturday.

“IS there a profit? You decide”, is the presentation by John Horgan and James Fleming of Teagasc at next Wednesday’s beef production and marketing event in Corrin Mart, Fermoy, starting at 7pm.

SINGLETONS SV Donoughmore produced a magnificent performance to win the Senior Women’s National Cup title after a thrilling final on Saturday.

UCC DEMONS will have revenge on their minds against NIVEA for MEN SuperLeague favourites, Abrakebabra Tigers, at the Mardyke Arena tonight.

STEPHEN McCARTHY will add a new and exciting dimension to an illustrious basketball career when he leads Neptune into their critical SuperLeague game against Merry Monk Ballina as coach in Cork tomorrow night.

Dr Crokes 5-6 Austin Stacks 0-8

THERE was good news for Kerry manager Páidí Ó Sé ahead of the Bank of Ireland Munster SFC semi-final against Tipperary on June 15.

DART Killester have lodged a protest over the refereeing of last weekend’s tie against Star of the Sea, but coach Mark Ingle said yesterday there was no question of seeking a replay or anything like that.