Limerick Celtics, ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers and McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles all extend winning runs

ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers and Limerick Celtics both extended their unbeaten runs at the top of their respective conferences in Men’s Division One, the former recording a big 92-74 road win over Scotts Lakers Killarney on Saturday night before Limerick comfortably accounted for Moy Tolka Rovers 103-75 in Crescent College on Sunday. In Women’s Division One, McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles made it four from four with a 69-52 success over Limerick Celtics in Virginia Show Centre.

A 13-point run in the fourth quarter saw ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers snuff out the last vestige of resistance that hosts, Scotts Lakers Killarney were able to muster up on Saturday night, Jack Scully’s side running out 92-74 winners in Killarney to extend their unbeaten run at the top of the North Conference to 7 and 0.

The 51-point total that Mikah Blackwell and Darnell Snyers were able to total served to keep the homeside well in the reckoning for much of this contest.

Yet Portlaoise boasted a wider spread of scoring, with Eric Anderson, on 25 points, spearheading an offence that included more heavy hitting from the likes of Xabi Arriaga (19), James Phelan (17) and Davin McEvoy (12).

“We’re delighted with the road win” said Portlaoise head coach, Jack Scully. “I felt we played as a unit at both ends of the floor and we were worth the win in the end.

“We look forward to Tolka next week now, which will be a totally different animal” he warned.

The North Conference table toppers will, indeed, be taking on a Moy Tolka Rovers side licking their wounds in the wake of a heavy 103-75 reversal at the hands of Limerick Celtics in Crescent College on Sunday.

The South Conference leaders really exerted a strangle hold on this game throughout the middle two quarters, during which they outscored their guests by 27.

Finn Hughes and Abdul Wurie were the leading pair among the five players in double figures for Limerick on the day, the two totalling a hugely impressive 48 points and 32 rebounds to counter the game-high 29 that Mike Wallace put up for Tolka.

“We closed out the game convincingly after a slow first quarter” said Tony Hehir, Limerick Celtics head coach.

“Finn Hughes and Abdul Wurie dominated for us in the second quarter, while our Under 20s Martin Frawley and Philip Kearney also put in good performances” he added.

Titans BC made a return to winning ways in the wake of defeats at the hands of the top two sides in Division One, after they fended off Mater Private Malahide for a 75-72 success in Ballinfoyle Castlegar Centre.

Deadlocked with just 26 seconds remaining, this enthralling tussle was ultimately decided by Michael Hayes who held his nerve to drain every one of his three late free throws, taking his tally to a game-high 30 having also soaked up 16 rebounds on the night.

Killarney Cougars finally got off the mark in the South Conference, after they recorded a 93-86 victory away to Carrick Cruisers in Phoenix Centre.

Kani Glover converted five of his eight attempts from beyond the arc on his way to a massive 37-point haul for the visitors, while Joshua Strongman also made a sizeable impact for the Kerry side with 30 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, helping counter the 30 points and 10 rebounds that Shamus Kahl chalked up for Carrick.

A huge second-quarter revival in which they turned a 10-point deficit into a 10-point lead, helped see Drogheda Wolves on their way to an 81-70 success over Maigh Cuilinn in University of Galway Kingfisher.

Grant Olsson registered 20 of his 30-point total in opening half to help leave the homeside in a promising position, but Drogheda stormed right back, thanks in no small measure to the 42-point contribution by Christian Simmons and Stephen Safo.

Team NorthWest recorded a third straight league win after they ran out 83-76 victors at home to Limerick Sport Eagles in ATU Donegal.

Shakeil Bertrand spearheaded the homeside’s offence, landing 36 points and 15 rebounds to help see his side weather a severe test by Limerick, for whom Alexander Carlisle put up 33.

In Women’s Division One, McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles pushed their unbeaten start out to four games after they chalked up a 69-52 triumph over Limerick Celtics in Virginia Show Centre on Saturday evening.

Opening up a 10-point lead by the close of the first quarter, the homeside refused to allow their opponents a way back, as Rahmena Henderson emerged top scorer on 24 points, while Emma Tolan and Lanetta Williams contributed a further 22, the latter also mopping up 10 rebounds.

Stephanie McBride did record another big show for Limerick with 19 points and 12 rebounds, but even that could not inspire a recovery by the visitors.

“It was a good win for us” said McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles head coach, John Stephens. “Celtics are a strong outfit and we knew we would need to perform on both ends of the floor to get the win.

“We have a great team culture here at Eagles and that is showing on the court” he added.

Not for the first time this season, a slow start proved very costly for Templeogue as they fell to a 64-55 defeat at the hands of Limerick Sport Huskies in St. Munchin’s College.

Huskies had established a 17-point cushion by the close of the first quarter and, despite a third-quarter wobble that saw the deficit reduced to just four, the hosts pushed on again in the final period to secure the win, Scout Frame playing a significant part in that with a haul of 22 points, while combining with Delia Moore for a huge 27 rebounds.

Oblate Dynamos recorded their first victory of the campaign at the expense of Moy Tolka Rovers, seeing off their Dublin rivals 78-60 in Inchicore.

While Jahnae Gyles, on 26 points, proved a handful for the Oblate defence, the hosts were equipped with sufficient fire-power to see this one out, with Adia Brisker and Sophie Staunton among the four players in double digits for them, the two serving up a total of 38 points.

Cleveland Rockets made it three wins on the bounce after they surmounted Abbey Seals Dublin Lions 87-69 in Coláiste Bríde.

The visitors to Clondalkin had no less than five players in double figures by the full-time buzzer, Jessica Fairweather serving up 25 points that was just two shy of the game-high 27 that Sofia Paska put up for Lions.

Georgie McGrath also turned in a huge performance for the winners, carding 18 points and five assists, while mopping up a massive 20 rebounds, evenly split between both boards.