Preview: Kelleher's "whirlwind week", as Energywise Ireland Neptune look to end Belfast Star's winning run

Belfast Star will put their unbeaten record on the line this weekend in the InsureMyVan.ie Super League. They have a home fixture against Energywise Ireland Neptune, who last week appointed Paul Kelleher as their new head coach. It’s a second stint in charge of the club for Kelleher, he also led the side between 2016 and 2018. He’s eager to register his first win since taking over from Colin O’Reilly, having overseen last weekend’s 93-83 home defeat to Garvey’s Tralee Warriors.

“It's been a whirlwind week if I'm honest. It's been very active and one that wasn't expected. I never thought a return to Super League would be like this. But we are here now and I'd like to have fun with this. Obviously, not the easiest return with a double-winning club in your first and the champions elect on the road in the second game, but again it's where we are.”

“Adrian Fulton has done an amazing job at Star - what he has built the last 3/4 years in terms of Irish players and recruitment of players. That makes this weekend very, very tough for us, especially in Belfast. I'm excited, but also very nervous, but looking forward and seeing what we can try to achieve this year. ” - Paul Kelleher, Energywise Ireland Neptune head coach

His counterpart, Fulton, knows his team will have a target on their back, as the last remaining unbeaten side in the league.   

“Paul is a very experienced coach and I'm sure the players will want to show him how good they are. But as with every other game so far this year, we prepare as well as we can and just try to focus on improving certain aspects of our play every week. As regards being undefeated, there are too many good teams in the league for that to be the case come April. Every team playing us, including Neptune, will want to be the team to inflict a first defeat on us, which is totally understandable” - Adrian Fulton, Belfast Star head coach

Adrian Fulton, Belfast Star head coach

Maree sit top of the South Conference following last weekend’s win over Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU and it’s a local derby up next for Charlie Crowley’s outfit on Sunday against Maigh Cuilinn.

“We have a tough game this weekend again. We’ll need to improve on last week’s performance if we want to hang around until the 4th quarter.” Crowley stated.

Zvonomir Cutuk in action for Maree

Maigh Cuilinn supremo John Cunningham is keen to build on a positive performance against Pryobel Killester last time out. 

“We’ve had a number of games so far where we’ve played well for long periods and then the ‘wheels come off’ for a short period and the game is lost. Sunday was probably the first one where we managed the bad spells reasonably well and that was reflected in the result. Maree are very good at putting distance between them and their opponents in short bursts of scoring, so we’ll need a similar level of concentration to last weekend to have a chance.” - John Cunningham, Maigh Cuilinn head coach

UCC Demons and Garvey’s Tralee Warriors kickstart the weekend’s action on Friday night. On Saturday defending champions Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU host Flexachem KCYMS, as they aim to keep the pressure up on South Conference leaders Maree. There’s a Dublin derby as Griffith College Éanna host a Bright St. Vincent’s side looking for back-to-back wins, having got off the mark last weekend. Templeogue host EJ Sligo All-Stars and Pyrobel Killester face Ulster University at the IWA.

In InsureMyVan.ie Division One, South Conference leaders SETU Carlow (5-1) make the long trip to Team North West. 

“Team North West will be another tough opponent for us. Their record so far is not a true reflection on how good a team they are. Simmons, Gannicliefft, McKinney, Cassidy are all very capable of putting up numbers and have been doing so every week. It’s a trek up to Letterkenny but those lads have to make that journey the opposite way a lot more often than we do, so we just have to suck it up.

We’re playing some really good basketball at present and if we keep that up we’re a problem for any team. Team basketball is what we’re about and we’re doing a good job at the moment doing just that. Anyone can beat anyone in this league and we have the utmost respect for Team North West and will be taking every game one at a time.” - Martin Conroy, SETU Carlow head coach

Martin Conroy, SETU Carlow head coach

North Conference leaders Kavanagh's Portlaoise Panthers (5-1) have a cross-conference fixture with Limerick Sport Eagles (4-2) at St. Mary's Hall. Elsewhere on Saturday Drogheda Wolves play Titans BC, Killarney Cougars take on UCD Marian and Moy Tolka Rovers host SETU Waterford Vikings.

The only game on Sunday sees Limerick Celtics host Mater Private Malahide. Scott Lakers Killarney and Joels Dublin Lions have the weekend off, having played each other earlier this month.