Waterford Crystal bid to build on Cup heroics
Coach Michael Evans recognises the enormity of the task awaiting them in Tralee - Tigers have lost just one home game in the past two seasons and they proved they will defend their title to the bitter end when sending DART Killester to their first defeat of the season two weeks ago.
Evans said: “we are travelling with limited expectations. They have lost only one game. They have beaten everybody else so at least we won’t be under any pressure. However, if we’re there in the final quarter, we will be in with a chance. My biggest worry would be that we could get blown out in the first half. I just hope that we can stay in the game and then you would never know what might happen.”
Ballina might empathise. They were leading by 29 points near the end of the first half in their Cup tie on Wednesday and the game appeared to be all over at the break.
“I thought everybody would have gone home when we came out for the second half,” Evans laughed. “Thankfully, they stayed on, for the crowd played a big role later on. It had been a horrendous first half. We were trailing by 29 points three minutes from half-time. We scored the sum total of eight points in the first quarter and only 24 in the whole half.
“At half-time in the dressing room there was no talk of basketball. It was all about pride and heart and effort - GAA type of talk - and it worked.
“We went out and did what we were not doing in the first half. We went 30-14 in the third quarter and they panicked a bit. Once we got it down to single figures, the crowd really got behind it us. It was just amazing. Then they suffered a real blow when Ronan McGarrity was fouled out with seven minutes remaining. He had already scored 27 points.”
Tigers’ team-mates Kieran Donaghy and Michael Quirke have a football engagement with a difference ahead of their game against Waterford Crystal. Donaghy lines out for TG4’s reality TV team, The Underdogs, tomorrow night, as they play All-Ireland champions Kerry, who include Michael Quirke.
Meanwhile, top-scoring Killester may be sitting atop the Northern Conference, but they will need all their reserves of talent and determination to beat Gleneagle Lakers tomorrow night, after a turbulent couple of weeks.
Killester will be without American Mike Martin for the rest of the season, after he followed cousin Colin Tabb back to the US. Martin was the club’s highest scorer, and the loss will be immense. Killarney have run a number of top teams close, and will cause the Northern Conference leaders plenty of problems.
There are four games in the Women’s SuperLeague, with champions UL Aughinish back in action when they travel to take on Peugeot Meteors. Second placed DART Killester were boosted by the return of Carmel Kissane in their win over Drimangh, and they should be too strong for Mustang Sally’s St Paul’s, who prop up the table. Elsewhere, Mercy Coolock host Bausch & Lomb Wildcats, while XLR8 Autos Drimnagh travel to Cork to take on Vienna Woods Glanmire.
The Cork derby clash between Neptune and Mardyke UCC Demons scheduled for tonight has been put back until next March while Neptune’s Cup game against Corinthians has also been cancelled. Corinthians, unable to field a team with injuries, conceded the tie.
