Demons not taking any chances against Rovers
Waterford Crystal may be propping up the Superleague table at the moment but coach Michael Evans insists there is one good game in this team and he is hopeful they will produce it tomorrow night.
With home advantage, a cup record and a team on the rise, Demons fans might look on Tolka Rovers as easy pickings but coach Pat Price is under no illusions about the task that confronts them. But he is also adamant Demons have a lot in their favour. They have been working hard, they know what is on the line and the Irish players have been hitting form at precisely the right time.
Bill Romano, who joined the squad just hours before the derby game, may turn out to be the find of the season. “He is coming around and for stretches of the Killester game last weekend he just dominated the proceedings. But he needs to get a lot of touches to impact the game,” Price said.
“Shane Coughlan, focused, can have a really big impact on the game and Mark Kennedy will also have a major role. Our guards have a vital role to play. When we hold our opponents under 80 points the stats show our record 5-0. Over 80 and it is 0-4. The last time we played Tolka, James (Singleton) scored 29 points. Our Irish players did not score more than nine. We need a more balanced attack. We need every guy on the floor to be a threat.”
Tolka Rovers are hoping to sign Gabe Jackson in time for the game. They travelled to Belfast with only one American last week following the abrupt departure of Damond Gregory. Both Mark Walsh and Jim Quill are struggling with injury while Joey Haastrup is recovering from ‘flu.
Everything points to a home victory for Demons who are hungry for cup success.
New signing Larry Florance could be just the man Michael Evans needs to turn things around for Waterford Crystal. He had hoped to have Florance and Luke Dean side by side against Lakers last weekend but Dean was nursing an ankle injury and Florance dislocated a finger in the opening minutes of the game.
Star have a somewhat dodgy cup record and this is something that could be exploited by Waterford.
Kevin Craig is the only worry for Star ahead of the game after he picked up a knee injury in training last week.
Dart Killester are struggling for numbers ahead of their home game against Hibernian UCD Marian with Jerome Westbrooks and Ian Mason still out. Rodney Gidney and Ed Randolf did not train this week due to ‘flu but Dermot Kavanagh and John Behan rejoin the squad following their U-19 cup disappointment last weekend.
Hibernian UCD Marian have not made the finals since 1986 when they lost to Neptune in the semis and, with a fully fit squad, they have never had a better opportunity of going through.
Old rivals, Irish Travel Partner Saints and Notre Dame have a big cup tradition behind them and they will meet for the second time this season. Notre Dame won that Superleague tie by a point and there is nothing to indicate anything other than another thriller at Glasnevin on Sunday afternoon.
The last time they met in the cup was in the 2000 final when Notre Dame’s Brian Benjamin made a basket on the buzzer to deny Saints the title.
University of Limerick were denied Cup glory last season by Killester but they have already shown that it is going to be very difficult to beat them this year. They open their campaign at home to Glanmire tomorrow night when the sides cross paths for the first time this season.
Everything points to a home victory. Neassa O’Keeffe played her first game of the season last weekend for UL and will be a big boost to the side.
Glanmire have had a two-week break which might not be the ideal preparation for a vital cup tie but they have shown a steady improvement over the past couple of months and if they can contain the likes of Michelle Aspell they will make things difficult.
Bausch and Lomb Wildcats had a six point victory over St Paul’s the first weekend of the season but they will face a more formidable Killarney side on Sunday afternoon.
St Paul’s have built themselves into a force to be reckoned with and they will be hoping to have Diane Griffin and Sara Cartmill fully fit for the trip to Waterford.
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