Price has high hopes for new stars in Tigers clash

Brendan Mooney

Last week Tigers comfortably beat Roma St. Vincent’s by 23 points in Tralee where new player/coach, Chris Craig, led by example with 17 points.

Roscoe Patterson’s performance, yielded 22 points, and his own Texas El Paso team mate contributed Roy Smallwood 10 points.

Pat Price will be without David Murphy (injured) and Sean Carroll (ill) for the clash. He had to take his team to Belfield to play a new look and rejuvenated UCD and the clash proved a high scoring tie won by Demons 105 to 92. But Price will have Demons back on their feet for this fixture. He will be looking for more of the same from the likes of Dave Holmes from Manhattan College, who gave Demons 32 points on his debut, and Glen Worley, a product of the University of Iowa, who had 24.

Gleneagle Lakers were understrength last weekend when they were caught on the rebound by Roma St. Vincent’s, who were on their way back from Tralee. Mark Scannell has brought in a new American 6’5” power forward, Ronnie Clark from the Division One Colorado State University and will be anxious to improve the situation over the coming week. They have two home games - on Sunday afternoon they entertain UCD at the Gleneagle INEC and then Neptune, at the INEC on Wednesday night.

Limerick top the table after back to back wins over Neptune at Waterford Crystal last weekend and they travel to Dublin to play Dart Killester tomorrow night.

Merry Monk Ballina are already been tipped for the title and have done nothing to disappoint their supporters. However, Waterford Crystal were under-strength last week when they beat them 107-99.

Tomorrow Waterford Crystal, who also lost to Limerick at the weekend, are at home to MDS Star and coach Michael Evans will welcome back Andy Piper, Mark Winkle and David Cunningham.

In the Women’s SuperLeague, Vienna Woods Glanmire beat a solid Peugeot Meteors 78-67 away despite being without a number of stars including Donna Buckley and April Cahalane, and Amanda O’Regan, just back from duty with the Cork camogie teams. Sarah Jane O’Connell, who went into hospital for another knee operation yesterday will be missing for the foreseeable future.

Last weekend Adriana Spears was a revelation and the former Boston College star could be about to make a huge impression on the Irish superleague. Nollaig Cleary, sister of the former Cork All-Ireland winning footballer, John Cleary from Castlehaven was also very impressive. They are at home tomorrow evening to St. Pauls/Mustang Sallys but have had to switch the game from Little Island to The Mardyke Arena.

The team they all have to beat is UL Aughinish and right now that seems like an impossible task. Tony Hehir’s side’s two year unbeaten record looks likely to remain intact. Last week they were without Gillian Aherne and Sinead Leahy, but Michelle Aspell stepped up to ensure a 57-53 victory over Drimnagh Dynamos. This season their most notable new addition is Orla Dempsey from Waterford Wildcats. Stephanie Graff has come in from Philadelphia. They have Nessa O’Keeffe back after a year out, Rachel Clancy and Louise Gray step up from underage while Alma O’Keeffe comes in from Cobh and Edel Maher is a former Presentation College star.

They travel to Dublin tomorrow evening to play Killester while Bausch & Lomb Wildcats also travel to play Peugeot Meteors but without the services of Erin Brady who was injured in training during the week.

Meteors will be without Eileen Bradley who is out with a viral infection.