Demons seek comfort in cup after poor start

WHAT a difference a year can make. Twelve months ago, the teams from the Southern Conference were dominating the NIVEA for Men Superleague but, after taking a hammering over the cross-conference weekend, a lot of them are heading into the first round of the cup this weekend with one eye on the back door.

Last season, UCC Demons lost a sensational opening cup game to Limerick Lions but they slipped through the back door and eventually defeated Tom Hehir’s side in the final.

“That probably sums up what was a frustrating season for us,” coach Hehir reflected. “We did not always play well and yet we got to both the cup and Superleague finals.”

With two losses from their two games Demons have had a disappointing start to the season. They lost to Neptune first time out but and more significantly to UCD Marian last weekend. That’s the team they entertain when they open the defence of their National Cup at The Mardyke this weekend.

Demons have lost Shane Coughlan with a hand injury that will keep him out for at least weeks.

“It has been a slow start for us but people must realise this is a different Demons’ team. It is just expectations are the same,” coach Pat Price pointed out. “In our first game we started five players who did not start last season.”

Pape Ba is fit and ready to play for UCD.

Limerick Lions will also have to reverse last weekend’s result when they travel up to Ballina to play Merry Monk but coach Tom Hehir is adamant they are capable of doing just that.

“We might have won last weekend,” he insisted. “With 90 seconds remaining it was a two-point game but then individualism set in. A guy went to the boards with the chance to tie the game but he missed and they went down and scored a three-pointer.

“It was unfortunate but maybe it would be worse if players were not prepared to take responsibility.”

There are two big derbies this weekend when Mustang Sallys/St Paul’s host Abrakebabra Tigers at the Presentation Gym tomorrow night and DART Killester entertain Hoops in a Northside/Southside tussle in Clontarf on Sunday.

Killester will be without John Quigley (ankle injury) and Darren O’Moore (broken thumb).

Cormac O’Donoghue will be without Ger Noonan when they line out against Tigers who will have Kieran Donaghy back from training camp with Sean Boylan’s International Rules side for this sellout game.

The Superleague champs, St Vincent’s, will play host to Neptune at Glasnevin.