Neptune boss switches focus to Killester challenge
Neptune got the SuperLeague season off to a sensational start last weekend when they beat Cup champions, UCC Demons, by 17 points in the first big derby game of the season.
“Derby games are different,” Punosevac said. “For myself and the professional players in Cork for the first time we did not know what to expect. This was a derby game and for those people it was life or death. I had never seen this atmosphere in Ireland before.
Punosevac said it was vital Neptune got off to a winning start against their fierce rivals. “If you are SuperLeague champions or cup champions and you lose a derby game to UCC Demons you will be regarded as a bad team.
“But we won this one. Maybe we played well or maybe Demons were bad but I think we played well. But now we want to forget it because it was only one game and Killester will be a different test,” he said.
The Neptune coach added that he is fully committed to his new side and is determined to bring them success.
“My job now is with Neptune and I will be doing everything in my power to make sure they win.”
Last weekend they had a huge performance from Richard Joyce who hit 29 points and Neptune welcomed back their former under-age star, Kieran O’Brien, after his spell in the Northern Conference.
“Kieran O’Brien is back this year but his job still keeps him in Dublin for this year,” the coach said. “Next year he will be working in Cork but he will play on Sunday. He will train with us tomorrow night and again on Saturday.”
UCC Demons will travel to Belfield tomorrow to play UCD Marian who lost to St. Vincent’s by 10 points last weekend when Pape Ba only played for five minutes due to a leg injury. Pat Price will be hoping that Demons can get back on the rails after their early wake-up call.
After a big win over Limerick Lions in the opening round last weekend, Mustang Sally’s/St. Paul’s, face the moment of truth tomorrow night when they entertain defending champions, St. Vincent’s, at the Presentation Gym.
Joey Boylan is confident that Mike Trimmer, who sat out training this week with a calf strain, will be available to join Kenny Gamble who travels to Killarney to face his former club.
Justin Wingard scored 24 points for the Killarney side last weekend but he has struggled with a leg injury and is considered extremely doubtful. Antonio Cool hit 30 points and will be the big target man for Cormac O’Donoghue’s side having hit 30 points against Limerick.
“It was great to get off to a winning start but we won’t be getting carried away or anything like that,” O’Donoghue said. “There is definitely room for a 30% improvement. St. Vincent’s will be tough. They have the best group of Irish players in the league and very good Americans in Mike Trimmer and Kenny gamble. Having lost twice to them last year it would be nice to get a win this time.”
Kerry’s All-Ireland football star, Kieran Donaghy, will be missing when Abrakebabra Tigers make the trip from Tralee to the National Basketball Arena to play Shamrock Rovers Hoops. He is in Toulouse with Sean Boylan’s International Rules team. They will also be without Micheal Quirke who also is in the middle of an important GAA campaign with his club.
Tom Hehir’s Limerick Lions will want to put last weekend’s defeat behind them when they play host to Merry Monk Ballina at UL. The coach will be hoping to have both Matthew Hall and Stephen King fully fit after they picked up injuries in last weekend’s game against Mustang Sally’s/St. Paul’s.
The fact that the sides meet in the first round of the Cup up in Ballina a week later will add an extra dimension to the game.
In the Women’s League Team Montenotte Hotel will host Tolka Rovers at Neptune Stadium in Cork tomorrow night but they have a lengthy casualty list with Denise Walsh, Lisa O’Sullivan, Donna Buckley, Nollaig Cleary and Michelle Fahy all under treatment.
Bausch and Lomb Wildcats, who got the season off to a flying start against UL Aughinish, travel to Naomh Olaf to play Meteors and Coach Tony Hehir hopes to include three under-18 players in the already youthful Wildcats line-up — Caroline O’Sullivan, Erica Walsh and Cathy Kavanagh.
Men’s Superleague Round Two: 1. Hoops v Abrakebabra Tigers, 7.30pm, BI Arena; 2. Limerick Lions v Merry Monk Ballina, 7.30pm, University of Limerick; 3. UCD Marian v UCC Demons, 7.30pm, UCD Sports Centre; 4. Mustang Sally St Paul’s v St Vincent’s, 7.30pm, Presentation, Killarney.
Women’s Superleague Round Two: 1. Team Montenotte Hotel Cork v Tolka Rovers, 7pm, Neptune Stadium; 2. Meteors v Bausch and Lomb Wildcats, 6.45pm, Naomh Olaf.
Men’s Division One (North): 1. University of Ulster v Longford Falcons, 3pm, Jordanstown; 2. Queens v Sligo All Stars, 4pm. Queens PEC.
Men’s Division One (South): 1. Limerick Lakers v Moycullen, 2pm, Presentation Convent School, Sexton St Limerick; 2. Team Meadowlands v Team Garvey’s St Mary’s, 8pm, Mounthawk Gym, Tralee.
Women’s Division One (North) Round Three: 1. Portlaoise Pacers v Corrib, 6.30pm, St. Mary’s Portlaoise; 2. Team Music Factory Carlow v Sligo All Stars, 6pm, St Leo’s College, Carlow; 3. Belfast Rockets v Longford Falcons, 2.30pm, St Malachy’s, Belfast.
Women’s Division One (South) Round Three: 1. Mustang Sally St Paul's v Galwey Auctioneers St Mary’s, 2pm, Tralee Sports Complex; 2. UL Aughinish v Singletons Super Valu Donoughmore, 5pm, UL Arena.
Men’s Superleague Round Two: Neptune v DART Killester, 3pm, Neptune Arena.
Men’s Division One South Round Three: NUIG Titans v Waterford Crystal, 4pm, Renmore Community Centre
Women’s Superleague Round Two: DCU Mercy v DART Killester, 3.30pm, DCU University.
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