Home comforts for Eagles in semi-final
The final weekend of the regular season tidied up most loose ends, with the two quarter-final pairings finalised: DCU Saints will host Bord Gais Neptune, while UCC Demons will entertain Belfast Star. Northern Conference champions 11890 Killester progress straight into the semi finals with home advantage against the winners of the latter.
Eagles’ Irish international Scott Kinevane was relieved after his side wrapped up the southern conference crown with a win on the road at the Ulster Elks on Friday (105-71), ensuring their 86-81 defeat to UCC Demons yesterday was academic.
“It’s a great relief to get the regular season finally sorted after slipping up in recent weeks,” said Kinevane. “We haven’t forgotten our league final defeat to Killester last season and we are determined to make up for that this time around.”
Belfast Star’s place in the play-offs was secured after nearest rivals UCD Marian failed to beat 11890 Killester on Saturday.
“I don’t think many people gave us any chance of reaching the play-offs when we started the season with no wins from the first four games,” said coach Danny Fulton.
“It was looking bleak with the delay of our American Clayton Longmire coming into the club but all the players deserve massive credit for managing to turn our season around.”
Bord Gais Neptune’s win away to Belfast Star maintained their fine run in 2011.
But yesterday they were on the back of an agonising one point loss (98-97) to DCU Saints in a quarter-final dress rehearsal.
UCC Demons ensured a second place finish in the southern conference with two wins in as many days — after getting an almighty fright from gallant Moycullen (78-77) on Saturday, they saw off conference winners UL Eagles 86-81.
The semi-finals of the IrishSport.TV Women’s SuperLeague are also sorted with UL home to Black Forge Oblate Dynamos while DCU Mercy travel to Team Montenotte Hotel Cork.
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