Altman playing part for DART

SUE ALTMAN has won Irish hearts but now the American who scored 35 points for DART Killester against Carna Transport Mercy in their Superleague semi-final on Sunday wants to win a National Cup medal.

Few had given the champions a chance of retaining their title but with Altman inspirational, they overcame Vienna Woods Glanmire in the quarters before crushing Mercy at the National Basketball Arena.

In the semi, Altman landed eight of 14 two-point shots and four three-pointers while she also hit seven from nine free throws.

She was one of the star performers in an action packed weekend that saw UCC Demons and Limerick Lions qualify for the Men's SuperLeague Cup final and Killester and UL Aughinish qualify for both the women's SuperLeague and Junior finals.

Last year Killester all but spoiled what would have been an otherwise impeccable season for UL by stripping them of their National Cup title and Limerick Coach Tony Hehir is now seeking vengeance.

"He filmed our semi-final on Sunday," new Killester Coach, John O'Connor said. "They are very experienced and they will be difficult to beat. But our players will be up for the game."

O'Connor admitted that he faced quite a task when he came in as coach this season. He had been involved with the under-age players for the previous five years and it was inevitable that he would introduce some new blood.

Then along came Altman. Normally the club would seek new American talent. In this case she came to them and has proven an incredible find.

She does her own training in the gym at 8am before coaching pupils from a number of schools in the locality. "I enjoy working with the kids," she said. "They bring over classes from the schools and I enjoy working with them. The whole club is just great the atmosphere is great and the officials and the players and all the people are very friendly. I like it here."

Her mother's mother, Maye Scanlon, was from Newmarket, Co Cork.

"My parents came over recently and we travelled down and saw all the places where my grandmother was born. We really enjoyed it," she said.

"I was born in New Jersey but I went to college in New York City.

"When the season finishes here, I would like to go to Australia or New Zealand. The winter will be just starting there but I think I would like to return to Ireland and I am certainly thinking about it at the moment."

In the meantime the focus is on the National Cup final and UL Aughinish but coach O'Connor realises that the surprise element no longer exists.

"We did not have a great start to the season so nobody gave us a chance apart from ourselves," he admitted. "I brought in some new blood and while they are very young they are very experienced."