Demons juniors are team to beat

MARDYKE UCC Demons are rated as one of the best junior teams ever to come out of Cork and if they cross paths with either the defending champions, Shamrock Rovers, or Dart Killester in the final of the ESB Men’s Junior Cup at the ESB Arena tomorrow night, then they could provide the game of the weekend.

The semi-final between Shamrock Rovers, coached by the legendary Anthony Jenkins, and Dart Killester will be a close call. The Hoops maybe slight favourites, even without players like Eoghan White, Ian O’Boyle, John Biggins and Eddie Crudden.

They have SuperLeague player Scott Kinevane in the line-up alongside Kevin O’Reilly, Michael McAuley and Ciaran White, all of whom also have SuperLeague minutes behind them, while Lennie McMillan and Brendan Clinkscales were very impressive against Hibernian UCD Marian.

Killester, however, have a win over Shamrock Rov (79-56) this season and also beat Neptune in the quarter-final (82-63), so they could have the edge on confidence going into this one.

They last made the finals two years ago when they lost to St Vincent’s and have Isaac Westbrooks and John Behan from that squad, joined by Aaron Wesbrooks, Shane O’Moore, Colin Bernard, Gavin Flanagan, Erin Grace and will be looking to Ciaran O’Donoghue to keep Kinevane in check.

Demons, who suffered a shock one point defeat at the hands of St Brendan’s in the semi-finals last year, will be odds on favourites to beat Westaro Castlebar in the other semi-final. The squad is built around players from the North Monastery nursery. Carlton Cuff top scored for his school in last year’s under-16 final and he has been crucial to their campaign alongside Niall Murphy who scored 35 points against Clondalkin.

Vienna Woods Glanmire made history when they beat Waterford wildcats by a whopping 70-53 in the semi-final of the junior Women’s Cup to make it to the final for the first time. After ending a 20 year wait they can now complete the mission with a win over Drimnagh Dynamos.

Marie Breen has been exceptional, while Sarah Jane O’Connell is virtually unstoppable. The experience gained by under-20 international Trisha O’Sullivan will be invaluable while Sarah Healy, who has been struggling with an injury, is expected to be fit and that will be another boost.