New season, new challenges

Men’s Premier League champions C&S UCC Demons face a difficult opening game in their quest to retain their title, when they travel to Dublin tomorrow to play Templeogue.

Templeogue are one of the big beneficiaries from the break up of Dublin Inter with point guard Mazvydas Cepliauskas and Aurimas Statkus joining them and their experience will be a huge boost to them. Coach Mark Keenan will have more experience at his disposal with the additions of Michael Bonaparte from Neptune, and former senior international Paul Cummins who last played with Belfast Star in 2013. The big doubt for Templeogue is Jason Killeen who is a few weeks away from full fitness, but they have retained the services of Irish international Conor Grace.

Demons lost their stalwart captain Shane Coughlan who announced his retirement in the summer, but have added the former Neptune star Roy Downey to their squad.