D’Allesio’s Demons fully focused for final battle

UCC DEMONS travel to Dublin this weekend in defence of their Men’s National Cup on the back of two SuperLeague defeats but that statistic will have no bearing on what promises to be an intriguing final.

Last year they snatched the coveted trophy from DART Killester who were favourites to win just about everything and the pain of that result has left the Clontarf side aching for revenge.

At their best, Demons have a great chance of justifying favouritism. In last weekend’s games they conceded an incredible total of turnovers and that is a problem that needs to be addressed, with players like Jermaine Turner and Paddy Kelly available for the feed.

“Killester will punish us big time if we turn the ball over like that because they are a fast-breaking side,” coach Luke D’Allesio said. “We have been working very hard on improving this flaw this week.”

D’Alessio has been under pressure all season from injuries and minor ailments in his squad but Niall Murphy is his biggest loss. He was heading for the player of the year award when he suffered a torn cruciate ligament.

“The great trait in my team is the camaraderie they have and I think that trait will stand to us,” D’Alessio said. “They will want to win this one for Niall as much as for themselves.”

Killester’s record against UCC Demons is not good. They have lost to them in their last four games and went down 82-71 in their most recent meeting in the SuperLeague.

But coach Mark Keenan admitted that it’s the pain of last year’s losses in the cup and SuperLeague finals that still hurts most and drives them on.

“It’s a big motivational factor for the guys,” he said. “Everybody still feels the disappointment. You hate losing a final but losing two to Demons was a particularly bitter pill to swallow.”

Killester have several players who have experienced the glory of winning the cup and the pain of losing a final. Players like Paddy Kelly, Pete Madsen, the evergreen Damien Sealy, Robbie Clarke and Mike Goj.

Their defence may have been impressive in the semi-final but it will be severely tested when Demons come screaming down the stretch.

Shane Coughlan will dictate the pace of the game while young Kyle Hosford is proving something of a revelation. Joshua Johnson and Carelton Cuff are sharp shooters while Michael Plichta can dominate at both ends while David Murphy, on form, can be truly red hot.