UCC Mardyke Demons knocked out of national cup

There will be a new name on the National cup this year after Abrakebabra Tigers knocked the reigning cup champions UCC Mardyke Demons in the semi-final at the ESB Arena yesterday.

The Americans call it winning ugly, and it was at times, as Tralee and Demons went toe-to-toe inside - but that won’t matter to Tralee.

Semi-finals are all about winning and Tralee will now face the winner of Gleneagle Lakers and St Vincent’s in today’ final (live on Network 2 at 4pm).

Naturalised American Roscoe Patterson was the hero for Tralee as his nine points in the fourth quarter proved the difference between the sides.

He was ably assisted by John Teehan, Michael Quirke and Kieran Donaghy, who proved their doubters wrong with superb individual performances.

But, Tralee know they will have to play a lot better in the final, their first since losing to the North Monastery in 1995 if they are to win.

Certainly they will have to shoot the ball better from three-point range.

Yesterday they hit seven from 33 attempts and a similar performance today will see them lose.

For Demons, it was a case of so near and yet so far. They under-performed yesterday.

Their professional trio of Patrick Pope, Damien Matacz and especially Glen Worley, who ended the game with four points, were very disappointing.

Only for Brian Clernon (11), Shane Coughlan (13) and Niall O’Reilly they would never have been in the game at the death like they were.

The fact that Coughlan had a three to take the game to overtime says so much about the resilience of the Irish players, who, if they had received any sort of help from their professional players, would now be preparing for their third final in a row.

The sides were level at 17 each at the end of a rough and tumble first quarter. Brian Clernon with eight was keeping Demons in the game.

Tralee had the better of the second quarter and led at the break by six (40-34) as Demons professionals were having a quarter from hell.

Their performances improved in the second half but Tralee inspired by player coach Chris Craig were now on the scent of glory and were not going to be denied.

Demons led 49-42 with just over four to play and had three attempts to increase that lead but each time they took a hurried three pointer and Tralee took inspiration from this.

A minute later the game was level at 49 all before Craig and Pope exchanged threes.

It was still level (54-54) entering the final 11 minutes and one would have expected Demons greater experience to see them through.

But, come the hour, come the man and that man was Roscoe Patterson.

His nine points off the bench were the main reason why Tralee are preparing this morning for the final and Demons are on their way back to Cork.