Eagles out to end losing streak against Killester

FOLLOWING defeat to Neptune in last weekend’s derby, UCC Demons’ 85-78 victory over UL Eagles on Wednesday came as a huge shock.

It’s a result Eagles will want to put behind them when they face old foes 11890 Killester at the University Arena tonight (7.30pm).

Killester have been a stumbling block for Eagles recently. They beat them in last year’s SuperLeague final and every time they have meet this year, the Dublin side has had the upper hand.

However, Eagles’ experienced Welsh international, Matt Hall, hopes to put history behind them and is not too despondent about the loss to Demons.

“A lot of people expected us to win but Demons have a phenomenal record and are capable of winning against anyone,” he said.

Killester have been on a rocky road since the turn of the season but coach Mark Keenan feels the worst may be over.

“I’ve been happy with what happened in the last two weeks, particularly after losing the cup final,” he said. “We know UL will be keen to take our scalp and they will be up for the game, but we have matched up against them really well this year..”

Coming off their midweek win, UCC Demons travel north to play Ulster Elks. The latter can have a major say on who reaches the knock-out stages as they face Demons and then DCU Saints over the weekend.

“If we can bring the consistency we are capable of, then it will be two very competitive fixtures,” Elks assistant coach Patrick O’Neill insisted.

“On Monday evening we worked on two things that we didn’t do well enough against Neptune,” Demons coach Paul Kelleher said. “Our defensive rotation wasn’t up to scratch and our offensive movement off the ball wasn’t good enough, but we set out to rectify those issues.

“We came out fighting against UL. Now my concern is to wrap up second and helping us a step closer is winning against Elks at the weekend.”

DCU Saints’ form in 2011 has put them in pole position to qualify as the second best placed team in the Northern Conference but a recent meeting with Elks suggests they won’t be taking their opponents lightly on Sunday.

Belfast Star head coach Danny Fulton knows his side cannot afford another slip-up when they play Moycullen with his side’s hopes of reaching the play-offs hanging by a thread.

“We will not be underestimating Moycullen,” he said. “At one stage in Belfast we led by about 20 and then suddenly it was down to five. I feel we have to win this to stay in the hunt for the play-off’s.”

Moycullen may prop up the Southern Conference but their recent display against DCU has offered encouragement to head coach Enda Byrt.

“I was delighted with our performance last weekend,” Byrt said. “We are starting to see some of the younger players improve and step up.

“We really want to get a couple of wins under our belt between now and the end of the season. We managed to beat Star last season and I’m hopeful we can do it again this weekend.”

UCD Marian and Bord Gais Neptune, occupying third in the Northern and Southern Conferences respectively, face-off on Saturday night.

“We are excited about our trip to Dublin to take on the cup champions,” Neptune coach Pat Price said. “It is a huge challenge and a possible play-off preview.

“We intend playing as hard and focused as we did in Saturday’s the win over Demons, using that performance as a template as we head down the final stretch.”

In the IrishSport TV Women’s SuperLeague, UL will be looking for their seventh consecutive league win away to Waterford Wildcats, DCU Mercy make the trip to 11890 Killester and Meteors make the difficult trip to Team Montenotte Hotel Cork.

UL are showing title credentials at the moment and will be favourites to continue that form away to Waterford Wildcats tomorrow night.