Killester’s title challenge back on track
After Killester’s losses to DCU Saints and UL Eagles, all the form pointed to a Demons victory but they could not contain the Killester scoring machine. Jermaine Turner checked in with the game high of 29 pts, Michael Westbrooks added 20 and Pete Madsen popped another 16. Demons struggled to match this flair with Shane Coughlan and Shawn Atupem hitting 19 apiece and Niall O’Reilly on 18.
“I’m delighted to win this,” Killester coach, Darren O’Neill, insisted. “It was so important after two defeats and particularly the disappointing performance against DCU Saints.
“They showed so much heart and even with Jermaine Turner having to sit it out for a long period due to foul trouble we never trailed.”
DCU Saints came back from their loss to Demons the previous week with a 72-51 victory over Moycullen and coach David Donnelly was relieved.
“We were looking for a response and to some extent we got that,” he said.
“We set the tone early in the game and it gave us a good platform to build on. The league is wide. We’ve had a good start and, hopefully, we can keep it going.”
Bord Gáis Neptune proved they, too, are right there in the mix with a 98-84 win over Cup champions UCD Marian to record their fifth win in eight games and they did it in style, leading by 16 at the break.
While their American hot shot, Ron Thompson hit 29 points, coach Mark Scannell was singing the praises of their teenage sensation, Roy Downey, who added 19.
“It was a great win, we got the job done and offensively it was one of our best performances of the season,” he said.
“Our younger lads were brilliant and we had the likes of Roy Downey, who is only 17, putting in a marvellous display. Ron (Thompson) did well with 29 points and 24 rebounds.”
UL Eagles returned to the top of the Southern Conference table by edging past Belfast Star, 70-65. Star looked poised for their first win of the season when they led 45-28 at half time but Eagles dug deep for their fifth win of the season with Jason Killeen chipping in with 20 points.
“We only had seven players tonight so we are really pleased to have come away with the result,” Eagles’ coach, Mark Keenan, said.
In the Nivea Women’s SuperLeague, Claire Rockall top scored with 24 points as Team Montenotte Hotel saw off Meteors on a 66-47 scoreline.
“It was an important win, particularly having not played a game last weekend and considering we carried a few injuries into this game,” Montenotte coach, Cormac O’Donoghue, said.
SuperLeague leaders, UL, kept their unbeaten record intact with a 65-53 win over Waterford Wildcats but DCU Mercy also kept in touch with a 85-40 win away to Liffey Celtics.
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