Basketball: Tolka future to be decided today, but without coach
Their three-match ESB SuperLeague blitz has been put on the back burner pending the result of the meeting but it appears if they are to fulfil their remaining engagements it will be with an all-Irish bench.
It was decided at a club meeting last Thursday night to dispense with the services of their American players in what can only be regarded as a shock move.
McGettrick and assistant Mark Keenan had been working on their strategy from as early as last June when they called in their players for training.
But they had problems converting the enthusiasm on to the scoreboard due largely to bad luck. They lost their first four SuperLeague games by a total of 11 points and after a drubbing from Mardyke UCC Demons in Cork matters appeared to come to a head.
“It has been a tough couple of weeks,” McGettrick admitted. “It culminated with the decision taken last Thursday night that the Americans would no longer be paid and they asked for a postponement of the games.
"I don’t know what my position is right now but if there is a team of Irish players only it is not a direction I would want to follow, so it is likely there will be a new coach.”
There will be a big game at Neptune Stadium tomorrow night when Neptune play host to BurgerKing Limerick. It is a game Neptune will approach with caution even if BurgerKing have not been enjoying the best of fortunes in recent times as reflected in their weekend loss to Gleneagle Lakers.
“But they are a team that you don’t take for granted,” Neptune press officer Tim O’Brien warned. “We learned that to our cost in the past. I think in the past few years we have only beaten them once and last weekend, while they lost to Killarney, they had a very promising new American on show in Jamal Hunter.”
But BurgerKing coach Tom Hehir was quick to point out that his appearance on the bench was as a result of a crisis brought about by the quick departure of the injured Keith Friel.
“But that has been our story for the season,” he pointed out. “Ironically we were trying to sign Jamal Hunter back at the start of the season but it did not work out.
“The problem is that we are simply short of players. Everyone we have gives his all, but at times it is not enough.
"And we need to have the players playing together so that at least they will know each other and be familiar with each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Unfortunately we have not been afforded that luxury this season.”
Neptune will be at full strength and this means that Charron Watson, Kenny Gamble and Dave Langrell, all of who shone in Saturday night’s defeat of Waterford Crystal, will be back in the front line.
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