Domino's MSL and WSL National Cup opening round throws up tasty ties

With holders FloMAX Liffey Celtics one of six teams receiving a bye, all eyes will be on Munster for the first-round of the Domino's WSL National Cup.

Just 12 kilometres seperate UCC Glanmire and Catalyst Fr. Mathews on the map and with Fr. Mathews winless run to start their league campaign, there's even more riding on the outcome of this Cork derby than the carrot of a cup run. Laila Blair has started the season in attack mode and duly leads the league in points. Whether or not Fr. Mathews can find enough scoring elsewhere if Glanmire limit Blair's influence is a huge question. Glanmire have a big tradition in cup basketball, winning eight Paudie O'Connor trophies since the turn of the century. This year has been a mixed bag thus far - but with the winners of this tie set to host Midlands Park Portlaoise Panthers (who UCC Glanmire have already beaten in recent weeks), an experienced squad will know that a semi-final on the first weekend in January is a very realistic target.

Utility Trust St. Paul's suffered an agnoising loss at the semi-final stages of last year's tournament, but their strong start to the Domino's Women's Super League will have many fans across the country backing them to go at least one step further this time around. Defeat to Trinity Meteors four days ago gives Coach of the Month James Fleming fresh bulletin board material, as they aim to take down 2023/24 champions Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell in Killarney. Maisie Burnham was also named Player of the Month this week and the dynamic guard has an intuiguing matchup with Ireland captain Edel Thornton of Brunell BC, who has three international qualifiers on the horizon in the coming 10 days. The early season momentum of the North Cork City side came to a shuddering halt during a shock home loss to FloMAX Liffey Celtics last weekend, but the fantastic memories of picking up the trophy at the National Basketball Arena just over 18 months ago will ensure a bounce back performance is very much a possibility. Maddi Cluse has been effective on both sets of glass since her introduction to Irish basketball, so look to her battle with Lorraine Scanlon in the paint to help set the tone of this contest. 

The first game in the opening weekend of the Domino’s Men’s Super League National Cup takes us to Cork as Ballincollig host Griffith College Éanna. Both sides sit inside the top four of the league and both have identical 4-2 records. After two opening losses, Ballincollig seem to have figured it out with four straight wins behind the trio of Josh Steel, Latavious Mitchell and Latrell Jossell all averaging over 15 points per game for the Cork side. The sides only met just last weekend with Ballincollig edging the win 97-96. Éanna will be hoping for a reverse of fortunes this weekend as they hope to be the ones who face the unbeaten Belfast Star in the quarters.

EJ Sligo All-Stars open their cup season with a visit from Flexachem KCYMS on Saturday night. Sligo have had an inconsistent start to the season at 2-4 with Killorlgin breaking even at 3-3 through six games. For Killorglin it has been the forward duo of Eche Okeke and Irish international Jordan Blount leading the way offensively. For Sligo, they have two players averaging around or over the 20-point mark for the season in RJ Etyle Rock and Jazere Noel making the differences for them. The victors of this tie get to face another 3-3 side in UCD Marian in the quarter-finals.

Energywise Ireland Neptune picked up their first win of the season this weekend against Ej Sligo All-Stars 🔥

📊 Aidon Gregorio (NEP) | 23PTS | 6REB | 24EFF#DominosMSL | #IrishBasketball pic.twitter.com/qEcwtODw7y

— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) November 2, 2025

Garvey’s Tralee Warriors take on the struggling Energywise Ireland Neptune, who are looking to get a run started with a win down in Kerry this weekend. The winner of this tie will take on the defending champions in Killester in the next round in December. Neptune have started the season 1-5 and have also just made a head coach change with former Titans BC head coach Ciaran Kiveney replacing Keith Daly. For Tralee, they’ll be hoping that the on paper form translates over to the game with them winning their last two outings and hoping for a third as they begin their cup journey live on basketballireland.tv .

In the matinée game of Saturday, we see defending Super League champions UCC Demons, travel to Crescent College to take-on the promoted side in Limerick Celtics in a big opening round fixture in the Domino’s Men’s Super League National Cup. Both teams have had slow starts to the season, with Celtics starting the season 2-4 and Demons finding it even tougher with a 1-5 record so far. A.J Williams has carried his Division One form from last season into this season, averaging 22 for the Limerick side so far. Sharrif Black leads the way for Demons, averaging close to 22 and coming off of a 33-point game last weekend against Belfast Star that eventually didn’t prove to be enough for the win. Whichever team wins it, they will then have to face St. Vincent’s in the next round.

All games will be live on basketballireland.tv.