Griffith College Templeogue are targeting three wins from three in the Men’s Super League when they host Belfast Star on Saturday night.

Champions Garvey’s Tralee Warriors produced their best basketball of the season in the Men’s Super League to demolish Coughlan C&S Neptune 98-76 at a packed Tralee Sports Complex.

The Warriors impressed last weekend when defeating Pyrobel Killester in the cup quarter-final, but should face a stiffer test this weekend.

Rejuvenated Ambassador UCC Glanmire have booked a semi-final berth in the Women’s Paudie O’Connor National Cup following their 74-66 win over Maxol WIT Wildcats.

At this time of the year, there is no better atmosphere in Irish sport than in the Tralee Sports Complex around 8pm on a Saturday night.

Ambassador UCC Glanmire face a tough test in Sunday’s Women’s National cup quarter-final, despite playing host to Maxol WIT Wildcats at Upper Glanmire Sports Complex.

Maree ended DCU Mercy’s unbeaten record in the Women’s Super League with a stunning 72-70 win at Calasanctius College.

Ambassador UCC Glanmire rolled back the years to stun champions Liffey Celtics 101-84 in the Hula Hoops Paudie O’Connor National Cup.

Singleton’s Supervalu Brunell produced a stunning fourth quarter to overcome Ambassador UCC Glanmire 72-70 and book a place into the Women’s Champion Trophy semi-final.

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.

Courtyard Liffey Celtics are the outright leaders of the Women’s Super League following a 54-50 win over Ambassador UCC Glanmire on Saturday.

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).

Mark Keenan, coach to Men’s Superleague outfit Templeogue, has been appointed head coach to Ireland’s senior men’s programme.

UCC Demons hope to produce a big performance against Garvey’s Tralee Warriors in tonight’s Men’s SuperLeague clash at the Mardyke Arena.

Ireland finished the group stage in the FIBA Women’s European Championship for Small Countries with a comfortable 73-54 win over Cyprus at the Mardyke Arena last night.

It was a tough day out for the Ireland senior women’s and men’s teams today at their respective 2018 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries, as they lost out to Luxembourg and Malta respectively.

Ireland 62 Norway 73

Coach Mark Scannell admitted that Ireland had paid a heavy price for not putting Norway away when they had the chance at the Mardyke last night.

Ireland’s re-emergence as a player on the international basketball stage won a huge boost last year when the country’s Under 18 girls ranked second in the European Championships. Now the senior women’s squad look to build on that momentum in Cork this week.

She is slight and unfailingly polite but an altogether more robust young lady than the callow girl who cut her basketball teeth in the Parochial Hall on the northside of Cork city.

Irish coach Mark Scannell admits the pressure is on to deliver Basketball’s European Championships for Small Countries in Cork next month — even though he suspects the hosts are third favourites at best.

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 .

Ambassador UCC Glanmire face Liffey Celtics in the Women’s Super League final as the curtain comes down on the basketball season at the Waterford IT tomorrow night.

A hectic weekend of basketball action begins tomorrow with the St Patrick’s Day Men’s SuperLeague final at the National Arena.

Garvey’s Tralee Warriors suffered a heartbreaking 97-88 defeat to Templeogue last night.

Ambassador UCC Glanmire 74 Singleton’s SuperValu Brunell 45: Ambassador UCC Glanmire easily accounted for Cork rivals Singleton’s SuperValu Brunell in the Women’s Super League clash at Upper Glanmire Sports Complex.

Ambassador UCC Glanmire will have an opportunity to regain outright leadership in the Women’s Super League when they travel to play reigning champions Liffey Celtics tomorrow.

Basketball continued its resurgence in this country with a Cup final weekend sprinkled with

DCU Mercy 72 Ambassador UCC Glanmire 71: “Good game sense in the last few minutes,” reckoned DCU Mercy coach Mark Ingle.

DCU Mercy 72 UCC Ambassador Glanmire 71

Whether big mileage has finally caught up with five-in-a-row chasing Glanmire is one of the seductive sub-plot for tomorrow’s Women’s Cup final at the National Arena. And whether there’s a handover of power to DCU Mercy in the offing or not, writes Tony Leen.

For those teams looking forward to Cup final duels, this weekend was a delicate balance of keeping players healthy and Superleague momentum on track.

Basketball

It’s back to Super League action with a bang this weekend after a hectic schedule of Hula Hoops National Cup semi-finals in Cork.

Glanmire 77 Brunell 66: The sheets of post-match statistics don’t lie, but they don’t always capture the cut- through narrative of a ball game. 

It’s a crucial weekend in the Women’s Super League for Ambassador UCC Glanmire with leaders DCU Mercy in town tomorrow.

Singleton’s Supervalu Brunell host Ambassador UCC Glanmire in the pick of the weekend’s Women’s Super League action.