National Cup: Champions Liffey Celtics and Killester receive first round byes

UCC Demons players dejected. Pic: Bryan Keane/Inpho

MSL and WSL National Cup champions Killester and FloMAX Liffey Celtics both earned first round byes after the draw at the National Basketball Arena on Tuesday.

MSL National Cup champions Killester will travel to the winners of the first round between Garvey’s Tralee Warriors or Energywise Ireland Neptune in the quarter-finals.

Reacting to the draw Jonny Grennell, Killester head coach, said: “Cup games are a law upon themselves so we feel very fortunate to avoid a tough first round game. Away to either Neptune or Tralee are about as tough as you can get, so we have our work cut out for us.” 

Elsewhere in the MSL National Cup, Irish international Jordan Blount and his Flexachem KCYMS team will travel to EJ Sligo All-Stars in round one, which takes place from November 7th-9th. 

The winners will be rewarded with a home quarter-final against UCD Marian. 2023/24 Cup finalists Ballincollig will welcome 2022/23 finalists Griffith College Éanna in round one, with Belfast Star lying in wait in the last eight.

Newly-promoted Domino’s Men’s Super League side Limerick Celtics welcome eight-time Pat Duffy Cup champions UCC Demons to UL Arena. 

The winner of that tie will be at home to St. Vincent’s in the last quarter-final of the tournament. Quarter-finals ties will take place on December 5th-7th.

WSL National Cup champions FloMAX Liffey Celtics have to wait ‘til the quarter-final stage to begin their defence of the Paudie O’Connor Cup, where they will take on the winners of the first round tie between Utility Trust St. Paul’s Killarney and Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell.

The only other first round tie sees Catalyst Fr. Mathews host UCC Glanmire in an all-Cork fixture, with the winner hosting Midlands Park Portlaoise Panthers in the quarter-finals.

There were four more byes, meaning it’s straight to quarter-finals for SETU Waterford Wildcats, who face last season’s finalists Killester, while Trinity Meteors host McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles, who won the WD1 National Cup on their way to earning a Cup and League double and securing promotion.

In the MD1 National Cup Moy Tolka Rovers will take on Templeogue in the first of two Dublin derbies in round one. The winners will receive a home quarter-final where they will face the winners of Tipp Talons against SPK Utility Trust Lakers. 

In the second Dublin derby, Dublin Lions will face Malahide and the winners will host either Drogheda Wolves or Killarney Cougars. 

Carrick Cruisers of Monaghan will face Donegal’s Team North West and will then host either ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers or Limerick Sport Eagles.

There’s an intruiging Galway derby as Maree host Titans BC, the winners will face Ulster University or Maigh Cuillinn in the quarter-finals.

In the WD1 National Cup it’s a Dublin derby as last season’s finalist Swords Thunder host Moy Tolka Rovers in round one, the winners will take on Limerick Celtics at home in the quarter-finals. The only other round one tie sees competition debutants Clunetech Kilkenny Stars been handed a home tie against Cleveland Rockets, with University of Galway Mystics waiting in the last eight.

The remaining four teams received a bye and progress straight to the quarter-finals where it’s Dublin Raiders versus Templeogue and Abbey Seals Dublin Lions against Limerick Sport Huskies.

Fixtures 

MSL National Cup Fixtures 

Round One, 7-9th November 

EJ Sligo All-Stars v Flexachem KCYMS 

Ballincollig v Griffith College Éanna 

Garvey’s Tralee Warriors v Energywise Ireland Neptune 

Limerick Celtics v UCC Demons 

Quarter-finals, 5-7th December 

EJ Sligo All-Stars/Flexachem KCYMS v UCD Marian 

Ballincollig/Griffith College Éanna v Belfast Star 

Garvey’s Tralee Warriors/Energywise Ireland Neptune v Killester 

Limerick Celtics/UCC Demons v St. Vincent’s 

WSL National Cup Fixtures 

Round One, 7th-9th November 

Catalyst Fr. Mathews v UCC Glanmire 

Utility Trust St. Paul's Killarney v Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell 

Quarter Finals, 5th-7th December 

Catalyst Fr. Mathews/UCC Glanmire v Midlands Park Portlaoise Panthers 

Utility Trust St. Paul's Killarney/Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell v FloMAX Liffey Celtics 

SETU Waterford Wildcats v Killester 

Trinity Meteors v McEvoy's Cavan Eagles 

MD1 National Cup Fixtures 

Round One, 7th-9th November 

Moy Tolka Rovers v Templeogue BC 

Tipp Talons v SPK Utility Trust Lakers 

Dublin Lions v Malahide BC 

Drogheda Wolves v Killarney Cougars 

Carrick Cruisers v Team Northwest 

ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers v Limerick Sport Eagles 

Ulster University v Maigh Cuilinn 

Maree BC v Titans BC 

Quarter Finals, 5th-7th December 

Moy Tolka Rovers/Templeogue BC v Tipp Talons/SPK Utility Trust Lakers 

Dublin Lions/Malahide BC v Drogheda Wolves/Killarney Cougars 

Carrick Cruisers/Team Northwest v ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers/Limerick Sport Eagles 

Ulster University/Maigh Cuilinn v Maree BC/Titans BC 

Women’s Division One National Cup Fixtures 

Round One, 7th-9th November 

Swords Thunder v Moy Tolka Rovers 

Clunetech Kilkenny stars vs Cleveland Rockets 

Quarter Finals, 5th-7th December 

Swords Thunder/Moy Tolka Rovers v Limerick Celtics 

Clunetech Kilkenny Stars/Cleveland Rockets v University of Galway Mystics 

Dublin Raiders v Templeogue 

Dublin Lions vs Limerick Sport Huskies