Acid test for Aherne and depleted Neptune squad
The unprovoked attack that left two of his top players, Marcus Whalley and Kieran O’Brien, in hospital has decimated his bench. He had already been juggling the squad to compensate for the loss of Gordon Fitzgerald - one of the most experienced players in the league - who is currently on duty in Limerick and Dave Langrell, on antibiotics for ‘flu and a chest infection, has been just flying on one wing.
“Obviously our primary concern is for the players who were the victims of the attack,” he said yesterday. “Marcus had an operation on his arm on Wednesday and will be out for the rest of the season while Kieran went back into hospital today and we don’t know how long he will be there.
“But, from a personal point, this was something we could have done without at this point in the campaign with the league at it’s most critical stage.
“Then, at no time this season have we had a full team with Gordon up in the Curragh and then in Limerick and when he came back for a midweek training session he had a recurrence of a long time problem with his ankle.
“Dave (Langrell) played last weekend against Demons when we needed him because we had only seven players but he was obviously below par.
“The lads will have to step up another notch this weekend but then they have been doing that all season.
“I would not like to take anything for granted going in against Tolka. They have a new American since we last played them and they scored 94 points against Tralee last weekend. This is a must win game for us. We have to take care of our own business and see what happens after that. The guys know this. I think Neptune want to win this league more than any other in the history of the club for a variety of reasons and that’s what is driving them through the pain barrier.”
Next Friday night they play Limerick at the UL Arena and two days later they are at home to Hibernian UCD Marian. They expect that the postponed game against Frosties Tigers could be played a few days later.
“It is a pretty hectic schedule but, we seem to perform better when we are busy. It is when we come back off a break that we tend to lose,” Martin Aherne said.
With the race for the title hotting up for Sx3 Star and Notre Dame - the other big contenders - who also face crucial games tomorrow night.
Notre Dame play Dart Killester in a Dublin derby tonight and they cannot expect any favours from Mark Ingle’s side and, while Killester’s interest in the overall outcome has diminished, they will be playing for pride.
Anthony Jenkins will have a full squad including newly signed point guard Terence Ward who his 33 points against Marian last weekend.
Star entertain the Cup champions, Mardyke UCC Demons in Belfast.
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