Tigers boss Collins braced for backlash as Ballina on hunt for revenge
Tigers consolidated their position in the South Conference on Wednesday night with a dramatic last-ditch stand at the Tralee Sports Centre where evergreen John Teehan landed the winner from the free-throw line at the end of a thrilling game with arch rivals, UCC Demons.
On their last trip to Ballina, Tigers sent the home side tumbling out of the national cup in dramatic fashion.
“We expect it to be tough,” Tigers’ manager, Junior Collins, admitted. “I will be very surprised if we don’t get a pretty hostile reception from the fans.
“But we will be without Kieran Donaghy, in Australia with the Kerry footballers and Roscoe (Patterson) in the US on vacation, while Ballina will be without Ronan McGarrity.
“We won the Christmas Blitz in Castleisland without our three big stars so we will be strong enough but I would expect the lads to be a bit cautious with the semi-final of the cup to play the following weekend.”
Ballina are challenging Hoops at the top of the North Conference and if they can win, and Demons can beat Hoops in Cork, will be sitting pretty.
UCC Demons badly need a victory — not just to kick-start their challenge for a place in the play-offs but in advance of their cup semi-final the following weekend.
They were in dispute over Teehan’s last gasp win in Tralee, questioning whether or not the decisive foul was committed before or after the buzzer.
“As I saw it the referees went to the table officials and they said they were not sure,” Demons’ coach, Pat Price said. “In that situation the game should have gone into overtime but the referee said two shots.
“But we had our chances to win. There were a lot of positives. I feel we are just about there and now is the time to start winning games. We don’t have a lot of room for error and will be defending our cup title in a week’s time when the semi-finals take place.”
North of the Lee, Neptune host St Vincent’s at Neptune Stadium tomorrow night at 8pm. Neptune are battling Abrakebabra Tigers at the top of the Southern Conference while St Vincent’s are desperate to make up ground on the North Conference leaders as their fingers begin to slip off their SuperLeague crown.
Belfast Star face a long trek to Killarney to take on in-form Mustang Sally St Paul’s in Presentation Killarney tomorrow night (8.15pm).
Mustang Sallys are beginning to make ground on the leaders of the Southern Conference in the tightest of leagues for many years.
Matt Hall will be hoping for a change of fortunes for Limerick Lions when they travel to Clontarf tomorrow night to play DART Killester.
Both sides will be keen to parade their new Americans who were signed over the Christmas break. The Lions have already seen new signing Tim Jennings in action against Mustang Sally’s on Tuesday evening. The Lions lost by a single point but Jennings was in impressive form, netting 30 points.
In the women’s Superleague, DCU Mercy host Tolka Rovers tonight having beaten Rovers twice this season while Meteors face a tough trip to Limerick to take on league leaders UL Aughinish in UL Arena tomorrow.
Team Montenotte Hotel will be hoping to move off the bottom of the table but face a tough clash with Bausch & Lomb Wildcats at Little Island tomorrow night. Wildcats will have new American Crystal Coston who has come from Alabama to take her place in Tony Hehir’s squad.
On Monday evening Meteors host DART Killester at Naomh Olaf at 8.15pm. Killester will be at full strength for the first time this season while Meteors performance may well depend on their clash with UL.
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