Ireland were made to work hard but eventually saw off San Marino 79-55 to finish top of Pool A in the FIBA European Championship for Small Countries in Chisinau.

Ireland’s Men’s and Women’s Senior Basketball teams secured semi-final berths at the FIBA European Championships for Small Countries yesterday with impressive victories on day two.

Champions elect C&S UCC Demons will receive their Men’s Premier League trophy and medals after Sunday’s game against basement side Eanna at the Mardyke Arena.

Swords Thunder 103 UCC Demons 82

Bakken Bears needed a late surge to pull clear of Hibernia and qualify for the last 32 of the FIBA Europe Cup at the National Basketball Arena. The Danish champions beat the home side 90-67, but there were just 10 points between the sides with 3:30 to go.

An Irish club side made up of players from teams in the Basketball Ireland Men’s Premier League were made to pay for their mistakes by Czech heavyweights CEZ Nymburk in the FIBA Europe Cup. Hibernia Basketball lost 106-45 in central Bohemia in their third trip to the continent in as many weeks.

Colin O’Reilly has laid down a challenge to players hopeful of making the Men’s Premier League All-Star team competing at the Sino-European Championships in July.

When you’re unbeaten for this long, the mind starts to play tricks. Games can become more about avoiding defeat than chasing victory.

NEWLY-crowned National Cup champions UCD Marian crashed back to earth when they suffered back-to-back defeats at the hands of 11890 Killester and a resurgent DCU Saints in the men’s SuperLeague over the weekend.

PAUL KELLEHER could hardly have hoped for better after stepping into the role of the head coach with his club, UCC Demons.

A disastrous weekend for Abrakebabra Tigers ended with the departure of head coach Mark Bernsen following their surprise hammering at the hands of DCU Saints.

RONAN McGARRITY will be accorded a hero’s welcome when he lines out for Merry Monk Ballina against Limerick Lions in their first SuperLeague game of the new season tomorrow night.

Reigning Nivea For Men’s SuperLeague champions DART Killester open the 2007/08 campaign with a trip to UCD Marian on Thursday night, while University of Ulster begin their stint in the top division on Sunday.

Leinster scored a decisive 6-3 win over defending champions Munster on the second day of the Golfsure Boys Interpros at Warrenpoint GC.