Club News

Oct 14 2022

Read the thoughts of head coaches ahead of week three of the National League season

DCU Mercy laid down a marker in the MissQuote.ie Women’s Super League, overcoming a highly thought of Trinity Meteors team 61-44 at the DCU Arena in the final game of week two.

Hannah Thornton led the way with 14-points but it was a poor shooting display in third quarter, in which Trinity Meteors only managed to score a single point, that proved the difference.

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Speaking afterwards, head coach Mark Ingle said:

“A first victory is always a good thing. You want to get off the mark, you don’t want to be 0-2. We’ve another home game against Waterford Wildcats at the DCU Arena on Sunday and we have to turn our full focus to that now. We’re looking forward to it, starting with practice on Friday and hopefully it presents another chance to get some points on the board.”

In the aftermath of the loss, Trinity Meteors head coach Niall Berry was happy that there’s a short turnaround to their next contest:

“Obviously, a tough loss, not just losing the game, but we can’t be happy with our performance, especially in that third quarter. It’s a long season though and we must find a way to take the lessons from last night’s game and bounce back quickly to prepare for the game this weekend against Killester. They are a very good side and coming off the back of a fantastic win last weekend, so we’ll need to have our full attention on putting in performance on Saturday.”

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Mark Grennell’s Killester will be flying high for that Dublin derby after a scintillating performance a week ago. The returning head coach wants more of the same from Michelle Clarke and Chanell Williams following an ‘electrifying performance’ against Leixlip Amenities Liffey Celtics. Grennell is calling on the home crowd to make it a special atmosphere:

“We want to try recreating that atmosphere again for this weekend’s game vs Trinity Meteors. It’ll be no easy task as they boast some of the country’s best players with three senior internationals in their ranks and some excellent young talent. After our disrupted preseason - We are working hard to build for this season and each week we are trying to take steps forward in our play. We have a couple of new players to introduce into the team over the next few weeks and the young players have been fantastic so far.”

DCU Mercy once again have home comforts, as Tommy O’Mahony brings his undefeated Waterford Wildcats side to Dublin in Sunday’s only MissQuote.ie Super League game. O’Mahony believes facing the North Dublin team is ‘always a tough task’ for their opponents:

"During their win against Trinity Meteors, they’ve shown they are a team with a lot of threats. We know that we need to be at our best if you are going to cause DCU Mercy problems. We are eager to take on this big challenge and are really looking forward to the game."

Singleton SuperValu Brunell put their unbeaten record on the line, as they make the trip to face University of Galway Mystics. Head coach Liam Culloty thinks the early season minutes he has been able to get his roster will pay off later in the year:

“Another long road trip for us this weekend away to University Galway Mystics. We will be looking to improve on certain aspects of our performance last weekend. They have a great group of young players and we will have to be at our best to come away with a victory. We are looking forward to the challenge.”

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Ulster University head coach Patrick O’Neill is ‘happy with their competitiveness’ so far this season. They go in search of a maiden win when i3PT Fr. Mathews visit Jordanstown.

“i3PT Fr. Mathews will feel they left one behind last weekend when they lost to Waterford Wildcats. I know Niamh Dwyer will have them all fired up to bounce back on Saturday. We will have to play well in all four quarters to be fighting for that result at the end.”

Basketball Ireland have entered into a new partnership with @Elverys.

Intersport Elverys will stock the Official ball & teamwear of the national teams online & selected stores nationwide.

Visit the official store↩️https://t.co/es60T6vuDz #Greenmeansgo ☘️ pic.twitter.com/50JSFC6F7O
— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) October 14, 2022

It’s a case of familiar faces in familiar places in the InsureMyVan.ie Super League meeting of University of Galway Maree and Garvey’s Tralee Warriors. De’Ondre Jordan has been the hot hand for the Kerry side in the opening rounds, head coach of the Galway outfit Charlie Crowley knows they’ll need to be at the top of their game to stay unbeaten:

“Another very tough game this weekend, he said. Garvey’s Tralee Warriors are the reigning champions in all competitions. They will be coming to Galway with a point to prove after dropping that game at home last weekend. Our guys know what I want from them. We’ll have our homework done and will train hard this week to be ready.”

His opposite number John Dowling thinks University of Galway Maree have the pieces to contend this year:

“They have certainly shown themselves as one of the teams to beat this year. Charlie Crowley has done a fantastic job building a program of professionals and young players. Every weekend is a test. This will be no different. We will find out the character and fibre of this year’s Garvey’s Tralee Warriors against a high-powered University of Galway Maree team.”

A feast of derby games has set the tone for the season to date. One Cork team will lose their undefeated tag when Energywise Ireland Neptune and Emporium Cork Basketball lock horns.

“We head into the game on the back of two wins but more importantly every player on the roster has played minutes and experienced the intensity of league play, said Energywise Ireland Neptune head coach Colin O’Reilly. This experience on game day allows us to ramp the intensity of training up as now players even with this small sample size understand the speed, physicality and athleticism required just to compete at this level. It’s still very early in the season so we will continue to experiment within games with the goal of being at our best later in the year when needed.”

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Week 3 Fixtures:

InsureMyVan.ie Super League

October 15^th

16:30|UCC Demons v Moycullen, Mardyke Arena.

17:30|Griffith College Templeogue v Belfast Star, Nord Anglia International School.

18:30|Energywise Ireland Neptune v Emporium Cork Basketball, Neptune Stadium.

19:00|UCD Marian v DBS Éanna, UCD Sports Centre.

19:00|University of Galway Maree v Garvey’s Tralee Warriors, Kingfisher Gym.

19:15|Flexachem KCYMS v Bright St. Vincents, Killorglin Sports Complex.

19:30| EJ Sligo All-Stars v Killester, Mercy College Sligo.

MissQuote.ie Super League