National League

Nov 07 2024

Preview: Men's Super League Week 6

It’s always spicy when Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU and UCC Demons go head-to-head.

Neither set of players need extra motivation to leave it all on the court, but you have to think that Ballincollig will be hungry to put last season’s 82-68 Pat Duffy Cup final defeat at the hands of their local rivals in the rearview mirror at MTU Arena on Thursday night.

It’s the first of two games in three days for the 2022/23 Men’s Super League champions. When they welcome Flexachem KCYMS to MTU Arena on Saturday, it will bring to an end to a stretch of five home games from seven to start the season. The fact that they’re just 2-3 will be worrisome to first year head coach Antonio Lopez, however securing successive wins could see them jump as high as fourth in the table, such is the condensed nature of the standings at this point in the season.

The club announced the signing of guard Quashawn Lane in the build-up to the game. How the American fits in place of the now departed Jordan Rawls given very little court time with his new teammates remains to be seen.

Defeats to Belfast Star and EJ Sligo All-Stars in recent weeks have UCC Demons sitting in 10^th at this early stage, but given the manner in which they made the playoffs last season (beating Killorlgin on the final day) and the fact we are less than a third of the way through the 24 game regular season, head coach Danny O’Mahony won’t be reaching for the panic button just yet, even if they come out the wrong side of this Cork derby.

Pace setters Garvey’s Tralee Warriors can consolidate their unbeaten start ahead of the international break against Maree BC. An independent National Appeals Committee (NAC) has today ruled that Maree'spoints penalty in the 2024/25 Men’s Super League has been reduced by six, to 18 points, following an appeals hearing on Wednesday evening, however they won't be permitted to compete in the Pat Duffy National Cup this season.

Maree still have the option to appeal the National Appeals Committee (NAC) decision to the Sports Disputes Solution Ireland (SDSI) for arbitration.

That won't deter Garvey's Tralee Warriors, who are the form team in the country coming into this weekend's game. It was Brandon Mahan's turn to go off in their most recent outing against Belfast Star. Mahan combined with veteren Daniel Jokubaitis for 55 points in that 96-73 win.

With Killester on a bye, Griffith College Éanna are tasked with keeping the pressure of the Men’s Super League leaders during the visit of EJ Sligo All-Stars to Rathfarnham. The hosts fell back from top sport with successive defeats during the Bank Holiday weekend. EJ Sligo All-Stars arrive in Dublin for the second weekend in a row high in confidence. They picked up their first Pat Duffy National Cup win since returning to the Men’s Super League against Bright St. Vincent’s last time out.

Elsewhere Bright St. Vincent’s and Templeogue clash in the first of their Dublin derbies of the year. A loss for either team here will leave them slightly detached at the foot of the table, so both coaches will be urging full focus to their players going into this one.

Jake Mullins enjoyed a breakout game for Templeogue in a tough loss to Neptune in the Pat Duffy Cup. It would be welcomed hugely by head coach Mark Keenan if he was able to back that up this week. It will likely come down to which scoring duo, Jaron Thames and Samuel Henderson for Bright St. Vincents or Immanuel Allen and Tavias Fagan can find their rhythm quickest at the outset. Both sides are at their best when that quartet come out of the locker room hot.

Energywise Ireland Neptune have to wait until Sunday evening to try and repeat their 100 display in the Pat Duffy National Cup during their rivalry game with UCC Demons. A win could take them as high as second at the conclusion of the weekend as Pat Price continues to gel a new look roster together.

Ar’mond Davis appears to possess the perimeter scoring threat that can be the difference in close games and both of the meetings between the sides last season were decided by eight points or fewer. They split the series. Depending on the outcome of UCC Demons meeting with Ballincollig on Thursday night, they could have the potential to move ahead of both their rivals by Sunday night with successive wins.