Saints sparkle as they join Star at the top

IRISH Travel Partner Saints, with two great wins at the weekend, are back in contention for the ESB Men’s SuperLeague title.

The successes over Sx3 Star and Tolka Rovers place them joint top of the table with Star on 24 - two clear of Neptune and Notre Dame. Mardyke UCC Demons, are a further two adrift in a competition that is building to a terrific climax.

Meanwhile, University of Limerick are just a win away from registering their first ESB Women’s Superleague triumph and a victory over Bausch and Lomb Wildcats would see them capture the pennant, thus adding to the National Cup triumph .

In the Men’s SuperLeague action, third placed Neptune survived a thriller at home to Notre Dame, gaining the crucial scores in a fabulous final quarter display. They are now in the happy position of having a game in hand on Star and two on Saints.

They got little change for most of the tie from Notre Dame, who were spurred on by the superb 14 point opening quarter performance by newly signed American Terence Ward.

In for the injured Brandon Hughes, Ward was contained somewhat after this, although finished with 27, which included eight three pointers.

It was well for Neptune that Kenny Gamble was in top form in those early stages as his 12 points helped the home team to keep in contact, 31-36.

Notre Dame still led 57-52 at half-time, helped by massive three pointers from Anthony Jenkins and

Jojo Chambers, but Neptune were not panicking as Charron Watson was now in full flight with an 11 points contribution.

The margin was down to four, 76-72, entering the final quarter and Neptune had another ace in Kieran O’Brien whose inspirational scores helped them regain the lead for the first time since the opening minutes.

Notre Dame were not finished, however, and they matched a rampant home side score for score, with a Lennie McMillan three pointer giving the Dublin side the lead again, 92-90, with 3.10 on the clock.

Enter O’Brien once more with two great baskets and further scores from Gamble, Watson, Stephen McCarthy and New Zealander Dave Langrell saw the home team well on top in the concluding stages.

Prior to the game, a one minute’s silenced was observed in memory of Neptune player Emmet Neville whose unexpected death, at the age of 22, shocked sports fans all over Ireland.

As a measure of respect for the talented sportsman, the Neptune club have ‘retired’ his number 15 jersey and an emotional unveiling ceremony took place immediately after the game.

Neptune’s Niall O’Riordan, who performed the unveiling, said: “everybody is heartbroken, Emmet’s passing has left a void that is difficult to explain and we extend deepest sympathy to his family.”

Meanwhile, in Tralee, Frosties had newly crowned National Cup winners Mardyke UCC Demons on the ropes for three quarters of the game, but they failed to maintained their grip and in the final quarter Demons came good to win a rip-roaring contest.

Both sides had problems in midweek, with Demons losing their top American James Singleton, while Frosties’ recent arrival, Antoine Gillespie, packed his bags and left town on Wednesday. Mike Trimmer came in for the home side while Demons, without injured captain Brian Clernon, introduced Sean Hampton.

The first quarter featured eight three pointers - five for Demons and three for the home side. Alan Keane drained two in a row, while Kevin O’Donoghue knocked down another. Niall O’Reilly, Mark Kennedy, Shane Coughlan, Cory McGee and Sean Hampton had threes for Demons as they led 23-22 at quarter’s end.

Frosties, with Kieran Donaghy in for Liam Culloty, dominated the second quarter and they began to hurt Demons inside with the big men Trimmer, Donaghy and especially Davis, who hit 13 points in a six-minute spell. Demons looked in trouble but baskets from O’Reilly and McGee saw Frosties lead cut to eight, 45-37, at the interval.

The third quarter was scrappy with Frosties missing some vital lay ups, but an Alan Keane three pointer and a Donaghy deuce, had Frosties 52-44 in front with 4.30 left. Then Demons applied the pressure and Romano hit a three and converted two from the line while MVP Coughlan closed the gap to two, 58-56.

The game was decided in the first three minutes of the final quarter when Frosties allowed Demons go on a 11-0 run with Romano, Hampton and O’Halloran to the fore. And, despite a great comeback by the home team - Kieran Donaghy hit nine superb points - Demons’ strength on the bench proved crucial as they romped to an 85-72 victory.