Eagles take eye off ball to give Demons hope

You know the line: “We’re just concentrating on our own game...”

It’s one of those phrases teams repeat throughout long seasons to deflect attention away from the inevitable head-to-head battle with their nemeses.

Last Friday in this paper UL Eagles’ coach Mark Keenan said: “We will need a full-on performance to get the win.”

But when UCC Demons were shocked by Moycullen in the early game on Saturday the Nivea For Men’s SuperLeague title race was over. UL Eagles just had to close it out with victory against UCD Marian. However, they let the early result affect them and for only the fourth time this season, they lost. While the 78-72 defeat is unlikely to rob them of the title it does breath life into a Demons cause from where there was none just a few hours earlier.

With two games to go the results also show the battle for a place in the Champions Trophy play-offs has brought the rest of the league to life. Just two points separate Killester in fourth, the last qualifying spot, with UCD Marian in seventh.

“We played with great desire all game,” said Moycullen head coach Salva Camps. “We were first to every loose ball, won the rebound battle and got up and down the court quicker. A lot of people might say that Demons have more talent than us on paper but I thought we out-worked them and I’m very proud of all the players for their effort.”

Rounding off the strange weekend of results, Bord Gáis Neptune lost at home to bottom club Dublin Inter.

When Team Montenotte Hotel ended UL Huskies unbeaten Nivea Women’s SuperLeague run of 45 games there was brief talk of a possible change in destination this year of the championship trophy.

That was back in December though, and the Huskies, like the champions they have become, have steamrolled their way to third successive regular season Nivea Women’s SuperLeague crown, which was secured courtesy of a 68-61 victory over WIT Wildcats.

Because the overall winner will be decided in the play-offs there was no room for sentiment among James Weldon’s team.

“I’m happy with where we are at and the fact that we got a win this weekend while looking ahead a little bit,” said Weldon.

“We play DCU next week and might face Waterford again in the play-offs so great to get the win on the road against them when we might see them in our place in a few weeks.”

The Wildcats bounced back on Saturday night with a 60-35 win over Liffey Celtics to guarantee themselves one of the six play-off places.

DCU Mercy beat Dublin rivals Meteors 71-55, while Team Montenotte Hotel Cork proved too good for Ulster Rockets and Killester beat Singleton SuperValu Brunell.