Price is right as Neptune name new coach 

The Blackpool club went through a number of coaches last season.

Newly appointed Neptune coach Pat Price. Pic: Larry Cummins

Neptune have turned to Pat Price to coach their senior men’s Superleague team following one of the most disappointing seasons in the club’s history in the National League.

The Cork club, who are now 21 seasons stuck on a roll-of-honour-leading 11 league titles and without a National Cup win since 2013, went through a number of coaches last season, beginning with Colin O’Reilly for a third-straight season before he was replaced mid-season by interim coach Paul Kelleher.

However, despite having reached both the Cup and Superleague finals as recently as 2022 and having Irish international star and vice-captain Jordan Blount on their books, the team failed to secure any of the four playoff spots the seven-team southern conference had on offer, finishing with a dismal 6-13 record.

In the Kinsale-based Price, they have appointed one of the most proven and decorated coaches in Irish basketball history. The Pennsylvanian native first arrived in the country in the autumn of 1998 and immediately led newly-promoted UCC Blue Demons to a Superleague Cup final appearance and in subsequent seasons to three Cup wins (2003, 2004 and 2006) and a Superleague title (2005).

He also guided Garvey’s Tralee Warriors to a league title in 2019 while in a previous two-year stint with Neptune he led them to a Superleague final appearance in 2011 where they were marginally beaten by a great Killester team. Only as recently as this past season he was operating in the women’s Superleague, leading Fr Matthew’s to a first-ever Cup final appearance, while he has coached multiple Irish national underage squads over the past decade.

Neptune, who have also moved on from Blount who has signed with Killorglin, expressed their delight with Price’s appointment, claiming in a club statement that he was “the ideal choice to lead Neptune into an exciting new chapter”.

Price says he is also enthused about linking up with Neptune again with its “strong tradition and a passionate fan base and I am excited to work with the talented players and dedicated staff to achieve our goals.”