D’Alessio warns against complacency as Star seek to end Demons’ hoodoo
Demons won last weekend’s encounter, 82-76, to record their third win of the season over Danny Fulton’s side but their coach, Luke D’Alessio, yesterday insisted this renewal is no foregone conclusion.
“We won last time but we must play even better to win this one,” he said. “Star are a very tough team and will relish a home quarter-final.”
Fergal Toner and Scott Summersgill are a doubt for Star through injury but their coach, Danny Fulton, is hopeful his side can finally get one over on this season’s bogey team.
“We have had a good season so far,” he said. “I know Demons have beaten us three times but I feel we are getting closer to them all the time.”
Back-to-back victories last weekend earned NEH Neptune second place in the Southern Conference and home venue for their quarter-final clash with DCU Saints, who will have to pull out something special to progress tomorrow night.
Coming from where they were, a play-off place is a big achievement for Neptune who have grown in stature under new coach, Pat Price, who now has a place in the semi-finals as a very realistic target.
“In order to be successful on Saturday, we will need to curtail Emmet Donnelly’s influence from the point, the three point shooting of Eoin Quill and James Donnelly and the inside presence of Martins Provisors and Mike Trimmer,” said Price.
Saints certainly took the difficult route to the quarter-finals and eventually clinched third place in the Conference with a sensational 75-72 win away to the newly crowned cup champions and Conference winners, Killester.
They may have to plan without Michael Chubb tomorrow night as he is struggling with an ankle injury while Martins Provizors is expected to miss out due to family commitments.
In the IrishSport.TV Women’s Superleague, reigning champions Team Montenotte Hotel Cork travel to Dublin to renew rivalry with the new National Cup champions, DCU Mercy, in the final game ahead of the semi-finals for which both sides have secured home advantage.
“It would be nice to keep the record going but more importantly the game will provide good preparation for the play-offs,” said Montenotte coach, Mark Scannell. “We had a great display against UL last weekend and hopefully we can maintain that level of performance against DCU.”
Montenotte beat Mercy on the opening day of the season but Mark Ingle’s DCU side avenged that defeat with a 68-55 win in the cup final.
“The game should be ideal in terms of preparations,” Ingle said.
Montenotte will host Killester in the semi finals, while DCU Mercy face a tough test at home to third placed UL.
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