Big weekend of Cup Basketball ahead

This bank holiday weekend is a massive one in the Irish basketball calendar as the opening rounds of the Hula Hoops National Cup tip off across all four divisions.

In the Women’s Paudie O’Connor National Cup, two big preliminary games are in store, as Ambassador UCC Glanmire host reigning champions, Liffey Celtics, while DCU Mercy welcome newly-promoted Maree to Dublin on Saturday evening.

Mercy currently sit top of the Women’s Super League table having won all of their games to date, and their unbeaten status is certainly one they’ll be hoping to maintain this coming weekend. They boast an enviable strength and depth of talent throughout their roster, including a who’s who of Irish international stars and this, coupled with the additions of two strong Americans in Meredith Burkhall and Ashley Russell, will see Mark Ingle’s charges hoping to take home a vital win. Maree are certainly no strangers to winning though. They arrived into the Super League this year off the back of an unbeaten season in the Women’s Division One. Now in their maiden Super League season, they have lost just one game from four and boast the talent of Claire Rockall, Fiona Scally and American Carly McLendon.

Over in the Men’s Pat Duffy National Cup meanwhile, there are a number of big games in store. Last year’s Cup semi-finalists, Belfast Star, travel to Galway to face Maree. Star will be hoping to go one step further than last year, but were dealt a blow earlier this week when American Delaney Blaylock was ruled out for the coming weeks due to injury. They will look to the firepower of CJ Fulton and the inside presence of Keelan Cairns to get them through this weekend’s games, but face a tricky challenge in a Maree side who could prove to be very hard to beat at home, particularly as Darin Johnson continues to settle into the league. As it’s a bank holiday weekend, a round of Men’s Super League games will also be played across Sunday and Monday.

A new name will be etched on the Women’s Division One National Cup meanwhile, after last year’s winners, Maree, were promoted to the Women’s Super League. A big Dublin derby kicks off the weekend as Swords Thunder welcome Trinity Meteors, while NUIG Mystics host Ulster University, Phoenix Rockets welcome UL Huskies and Limerick Celtics go head-to-head with Portlaoise Panthers.

Basketball Ireland Fixtures October 25-28^th

Friday October 25th

Hula Hoops Pat Duffy National Cup

Keanes Supervalu Killorglin v Garvey’s Tralee Warriors, Killorglin Sports Centre, 20:00;

Hula Hoops Women’s Division One National Cup

Swords Thunder v Trinity Meteors, ALSAA-Dublin, 20:00;

Saturday October 26th

Hula Hoops Pat Duffy Men's National Cup

Maree v Belfast Star, Calasanctius College Oranmore, 16:00;

Griffith College Templeogue v UCD Marian, Nord Anglia International School, 19:00;

DCU Saints v Abbey Seals Dublin Lions, St Vincent’s, 20:00;

Hula Hoops Paudie O’Connor National Cup Preliminaries:

Ambassador UCC Glanmire v Liffey Celtics, Mardyke Arena, 17:30;

DCU Mercy v Maree, DCU Complex, 18:30;

Hula Hoops Presidents National Cup

Scotts Lakers St Paul’s Killarney v Tradehouse Central Ballincollig, Killarney SC, 19.30

IT Carlow Basketball v Waterford Vikings, Old Leighlin CC, 12:30;

Limerick Sports Eagles v LYIT Donegal, PESS Building, 19:00

Fr Mathews v Limerick Celtics, Fr Mathews Arena, 19:45;

Hula Hoops Women’s Division One National Cup

NUI Galway Mystics v Ulster University, Kingfisher, NUIG, 15:30;

Phoenix Rockets v UL Huskies, Methodist College, 15:30;

Sunday October 27th:

Basketball Ireland Men’s Super League:

Keanes Supervalu Killorglin v Belfast Star, Killorglin Sports Centre, 15:00

Pyrobel Killester v Garvey’s Tralee Warriors, IWA-Clontarf, 15:00;

UCD Marian v DCU Saints, UCD, 15:00;

Basketball Ireland Men’s Division One:

Tradehouse Central Ballincollig v IT Carlow Basketball, Ballincollig CS, 13:00;

EJ Sligo All-Stars v McGowans Tolka Rovers, Mercy College, 15:00;

Limerick Celtics v LYIT Donegal, St Munchins, 15:30;

Portlaoise Panthers v Limerick Sports Eagles, St Mary’s Sports Hall, 19:00;

Hula Hoops Women’s Division One National Cup

Limerick Celtics v Portlaoise Panthers, St Munchins, 13:30;

Monday October 28th:

Basketball Ireland Men’s Super League:

DBS Éanna v Maree, Colaiste Eanna, 14:00;

Griffith College Templeogue v Coughlan CandS Neptune, Nord Anglia International School, 15:00;

Moycullen v Abbey Seals Dublin Lions, Kingfisher, NUIG, 15:00