Dogged Demons back in business

TEAM effort was the key as UCC Demons saw off DCU Saints, 86-71, to get their defence of their SuperLeague National Cup off to the perfect start at The Mardyke Arena yesterday.

A shock loss to HOOPS – their first of the season – in the SuperLeague at the home venue a week earlier sent the champions into this game with questions to answer.

But fans need not have worried as Joshua Johnson chipped in with 18 points, Niall O’Reilly 15 and Niall Murphy 14 to underscore a solid team performance that sent Saints back to the drawing board for a second successive season – last season it was the other Cork SuperLeague side, Neptune, that sent them tumbling out of the competition.