Neptune, Demons chasing prize of home semi-finals
Tomorrow night Neptune travel to Dublin to renew rivalry with DART Killester, the long-time leaders of the Northern Conference, with a place in the semis the prize, while on Sunday, a packed Mardyke Arena will urge on Pat Price's Demons against UCD.
Neptune travel with the confidence of impressive recent performances against Ballina, Demons and Tigers under their belt.
They already have a comprehensive defeat of Killester to bolster them, but coach Jim Nugent is playing that down.
"The big thing for us is that we have got it all together right now," he said.
"We had a big win against Demons and that is really what got us through to this stage in the competition.
"We played very well against Tigers and came back to lead at one stage and when we played Ballina we had only one American.
"We have had injury problems lately but now all is well. Stephen (McCarthy) is fully recovered, Gordon (Fitzgerald) is fully fit and Ricardo Leonard has just a niggle now.
"So we have a clean bill of health and confidence is pretty high in the camp. Travelling won't bother us."
Killester's big win over Merry Monk Ballina would indicate that they may have rediscovered their early season form but John Quigley is a doubtful starter for tomorrow's tie with an ankle injury and his absence would be a huge loss.
When they last met, Mark Green, on his debut for Neptune, shot the lights out and was the big difference at a time when Neptune had been struggling with injury. The winners will play the raging hot favourites, Abrakebabra Tigers, in the second semi-final in a week's time.
Last November, with a 1-4 record, people were already writing off Mardyke UCC Demons but they will be favourites to beat UCD at the Mardyke Arena on Sunday for a place in the semi-finals.
"And we hope to keep it rolling," Price says.
"When we are tuned in to what we are doing we are a very good team. We respect UCD. We played them here in the quarter-final of the Cup and we beat them. This is our third time meeting this season so we are very familiar with each other.
"They are probably the best perimeter shooting team in the country so we know what to expect.
"We have a lot of balance - take away our post game and we have strong perimeter players - and the fact that we have a home game is important. If the team can perform as well as they have in the past few weeks we will be very difficult to beat."
UCD have one of the leading scorers in the country in Jarron Jones and he gets plenty of assistance from Lorcan Precious and Barry Glover, and would be fancied in most circumstances.
Damien Matacz has developed into one of the most exciting players in the SuperLeague alongside Patrick Pope and Glen Worley, who can be superb on their day. But it is the likes of Shane Coughlan, Niall O'Reilly, young David Murphy, Tim O'Halloran and the evergreen Brian Clernon who give such depth to the side.
The Women's SuperLeague semi-finals also take place this weekend. DART Killester face Vienna Woods Glanmire tomorrow at home. DART may have home advantage but will be missing Suzanne McGuire due to a back injury.
If they are to make the final, it is more than likely she will still be unavailable. Ashley Luke is also struggling to recover from a knee injury.
However, Glanmire will be playing without an American. Mobolagi Akiode will be playing a tournament in Nigeria where she will represent her native country.
In the second semi, Mercy Coolock travel to Limerick to tackle UL Aughinish on their home court.
NIVEA for Men SuperLeague quarter-final: DART Killester v Neptune, IWA 9 p.m.
Women's Super League semi-final: UL Aughinish v Mercy Coolock, UL, 7 p.m.; Dart Killester v Vienna Woods Glanmire, IWA, 7 p.m.
NIVEA for Men SuperLeague quarter-final: Mardyke UCC Demons v UCD, Mardyke Arena 3.15 p.m.
Men's Division One semi and quarter-finals:St. Vincent's Queens v St. Vincent's 10:00; Moycullen v Sligo All Stars, St. Vincent's 11:45; Queens v MDS Star of the Sea, St. Vincent's, 13:30; Sligo All Stars v Tolka Rovers, St. Vincent's, 15:15; MDS Star of the Sea v St. Vincent's, St. Vincent's, 17:00; Tolka Rovers v Moycullen, St. Vincent's 18:45.
Winner Pool A v Runner up Pool B, St. Vincent's, 10:30; Winner Pool B v Runner up Pool A, St. Vincent's 12:30.
Women's Division One semi and quarter-finals: Galwey Auctioneers v Hume Auct. Portlaoise, The Mall, 10:00; Killester v Sligo All Stars, The Mall, 11:45; Hume Auct. Portlaoise v UCD, The Mall, 13:30; Sligo All Stars v Longford Falcons, The Mall, 15:15; UCD v Galwey Auctioneers, The Mall, 17:00; Longford Falcons v Killester, The Mall, 18:45
Winner Pool A v Runner Up Pool B, The Mall, 12:00; Winner Pool B v Runner Up Pool A, The Mall, 14:00.
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