National Cup

Dec 03 2023

UCC Demons end Belfast Star's run, while defending champions Pyrobel Killester advance in InsureMyHouse.ie National Cup

UCC Demons remain on course for an eighth InsureMyHouse.ie Pat Duffy National Cup title, after inflicting a first defeat of the season on Belfast Star, winning out 105-96 to reach this year’s semi-finals. In what was a repeat of last season’s InsureMyHouse.ie Paudie O’Connor National Cup Final, Pyrobel Killester again got the better of Trinity Meteors, 83-63, when they met in the last eight of the competition on Saturday.

UCC Demons’ superb pedigree in the InsureMyHouse.ie Pat Duffy National Cup shone through again on Sunday, as they brought an end to Belfast Star’s nine game unbeaten run this season, winning 105-96 when they met in the quarter-finals in Mardyke Arena.

Tamyrik Fields turned in a monster performance for Belfast, but even his 42 points and the 28 that De’Ondre Jackson chalked up, could not see the visitors beyond this test, as Demons saw five players hit double figures, including Da’kquan Davis, D’Andre Johnson and Tala Fam Thiam, who combined for 67.

Delighted with the result, UCC Demons head coach, Daniel O’Mahony said: “Belfast Star are a great team. They hadn’t dropped any games and so we knew we would have to match their intensity and really be at our very best.

“Right from the start of the year, it was always about being competitive in every game and putting ourselves in positions to play for trophies and that hasn’t changed for us”, he added.

Energywise Ireland Neptune produced 11 stops in a row down the stretch to gain the edge and dig out a nailbiting 85-83 victory over Pyrobel Killester in their quarter-final encounter in Neptune Stadium.

Winners of last season’s InsureMyHouse.ie President’s Cup, Ulster University saw their bid for similar success in the InsureMyHouse.ie Pat Duffy National Cup come undone, when they suffered a narrow 95-89 loss to Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU in Jordanstown Sports Village.

Shawndale Jones jr. registered an impressive 30-point tally for last season’s InsureMyVan.ie Super League champions, while Nikola Roso and Andre Nation each contributed 19, as their side prevailed against a gritty Ulster team, for whom Jordan Jackson (26 points) and Jalen Hodge (25) were the most prolific.

The 2022 Cup winners, Garvey’s Tralee Warriors were also made scrap tooth and nail for their semi-final berth, as they edged Bright St. Vincent’s 87-84 in Tralee Sports Complex.

Head Coach, Mark Grennell was delighted with the convincing performance his Pyrobel Killester team delivered in order to see off Trinity Meteors 83-63 in Saturday evening’s InsureMyHouse.ie Paudie O’Connor National Cup quarter-final clash in Clontarf.

A dominant second and third-quarter show saw the holders open up 28-point gap heading into the final period, with Jiselle Thomas and Ieva Bagdanavičienė inflicting huge damage as they netted totals of 24 and 23 points respectively.

“We are delighted to win it. We worked hard for it” said Grennell.

“It’s always great to be involved at semi-final stage, but the ladies can put that to the back of their minds now and focus on our league campaign” he stressed.

Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell secured further passage to the penultimate rounds of the InsureMyHouse.ie Paudie O’Connor National Cup at the expense of DCU Mercy, winning 90-73 at the DCU Arena.

Jayla Johnson and Kyaja Williams again served up big performances, combining for 43 points with Ireland senior international team captain, Edel Thornton weighing in with a further 15.

After having suffered their very first reversal in this season’s MissQuote.ie Super League at the hands of Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell the previous week, FloMAX Liffey Celtics bounced back swiftly and with conviction, as they carded an 84-63 triumph away to SETU Waterford Wildcats.

Americans, Alexandra Navarette and Tianna Ayulo combined for 47 points for the Kildare outfit, which helped counter the influence of Waterford's Nae Davison, who struck 27 for the hosts on the night.

Catalyst Fr. Mathews followed up on last week’s emphatic league win over University of Galway Mystics with a 92-70 success against Ulster University in their Cup quarter-final clash in Fr. Mathews Arena.

In the InsureMyHouse.ie Division One National Cup quarter-finals, holders Abbey Seals Dublin Lions ran out 81-60 winners over Moy Tolka Rovers in Greendale, McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles carded a huge 107-65 victory over SETU Carlow in the Virginia Show Centre, Oblate Dynamos surmounted the challenge of Phoenix Rockets 69-57 in Inchicore and Limerick Celtics earned a 74-64 triumph over Templeogue in Crescent College.

This season’s InsureMyHouse.ie Presidents’ National Cup quarter-finals saw UCD Marian fend off Drogheda Wolves to win 76-68 in UCD Sports Centre. Mater Private Malahide served up a 90-66 defeat to Joels Dublin Lions in a Dublin derby at Malahide Community School, Moy Tolka Rovers prevailed 109-100 after overtime against Limerick Celtics at the Carroll Arena and Limerick Sport Eagles returned home from their clash against SETU Carlow with a 94-85 victory.