Fit again Longmire returns as Star eye three-in-a-row over Killester

BELFAST Start coach Danny Fulton has grown accustomed to shredding the form book.

Twice this season his side have defeated the mighty 11890 Killester in the NIVEA for MEN SuperLeague and tomorrow night they can complete the hat-trick in the competition’s semi-finals. And Fulton is again enjoying the underdog status.

He recalled: “Nobody expected us to beat Killester in Dublin the first time and nobody expected us to win when we travelled to Dublin again the second time. Nobody expects us to beat them a third time playing in Dublin. It will be difficult because they probably wanted another dig at us.”

Influential American Clayton Longmire suffered a recurrence of an ankle injury after scoring 27 points in their quarter-final win over UCC Demons but Fulton has confirmed their star man will be fit for the trip to Dublin.

Fulton said: “We are not making a big deal of that. Clayton took part in Wednesday night’s training session and will be starting. This is going to be another interesting game.”

Fulton believes his side are not getting the credit they deserve. He explained: “We are not a bad team. I heard Shane Coughlan was quoted as saying they (Demons) were disappointed at being beaten by an average team last weekend. But if we are average then there are a hell of a lot of average teams about.

“Okay, we would not have beaten the likes of the great Burgerland teams or even our own team with Adrian (Fulton) and Gareth Maguire, but, for a young team we are not bad. Four from last year’s U20 side are regular starters and Kieran McVeigh is 22 and is a veteran. But all credit is due to my son, Adrian, who scouted and prepared the team.”

Killester coach Mark Keenan hopes his side can learn from their previous outings against Star.

“They are playing well as a team. We must concentrate on our own game and make sure we play to our strengths.

“We must play for the entire 40 minutes and not just 20 as in recent games against Star.”

In the other semi, Bord Gáis Neptune also have the Indian sign over last year’s runners up, UL Eagles.

The Cork outfit travel to Limerick with confidence after a big away win against an in-form DCU Saints last weekend. That confidence will be reinforced given they beat Eagles 88-78 in October. Neptune coach Pat Price admitted: “It’s a massive challenge to play the Eagles on their home court. We’ll need a brilliant performance on both ends to stay with them, but the momentum we’ve built up in the past few weeks is exciting.”

Price’s opposite number Mark Bernsen admitted: “Neptune will be confident after a convincing result over the DCU Saints in the league quarter-finals. We are keenly aware of Neptune’s ability to play at both ends of the floor.”

Meanwhile, UL hope to make it a double success this weekend when their women’s team face Black Forge Oblate Dynamos in the IrishSport.TV Women’s SuperLeague semis.

UL coach James Weldon believes home advantage could be crucial. “Oblates have had a great year to make fourth,” he said. “They had a bad start against us a couple of weeks ago but it’s a one off game and anything can happen. The big advantage is that we are at home and we don’t want to slip up after our recent good form.”

Team Montenotte Hotel, Cork will be bolstered by the return of Marie Breen from injury for their semi with DCU Mercy.

“Losing Marie was a blow but it allowed us to try some of the younger players and I have been delighted with how they have responded,” Montenotte coach, Mark Scannell, said. “No one wins a championship with one or two players performing well and in the past we have had to rely on Claire (Rockall) and Marie (Breen) too much. But now we have the likes of Gráinne Dwyer and Clodagh Scannell stepping up to take the slack and that is what we need.”

DCU Mercy are chasing a cup and league double and are bolstered by a full squad for the trip to Cork.