UCC Demons remain on course to defend National Cup while Killester bounce back to reach last four

UCC Demons took another step closer to successfully defending their Pat Duffy National Cup title after they edged out Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 73-68 in their quarter-final clash in Neptune Stadium on Saturday evening, while in the last eight of the Paudie O’Connor National Cup, Killester returned to winning ways with a 65-57 success against The Address UCC Glanmire in Clontarf.

Defending Pat Duffy National Cup champions, UCC Demons were forced to weather a huge test by Garvey’s Tralee Warriors as they edged a 73-68 win that saw them into this season’s semi-finals.

Booking their spot in the Semi-Finals of the Pat Duffy National Cup 😤

FT | UCC Demons 73-68 Garvey’s Tralee Warriors#BINationalCup 🏆 pic.twitter.com/HqhC4WaUU3

— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) December 7, 2024

From leading by 10 early in the third quarter in Neptune Stadium on Saturday evening, the Cork side found themselves a point down heading into the fourth, but they regained their composure down the stretch thanks in no small measure to Patrick Robinson and Elijah Tillman who combined for 48 points and 17 rebounds.

“I’m extremely happy with how we executed our stuff today” said Daniel O’Mahony, UCC Demons head coach.

 “Ourselves and Tralee know each other very well, so it was always going to be a tight affair, but defence wins championships and that’s what we did today” he remarked.

Griffith College Éanna bounced back from a heavy 23-point reversal at the hands of UCD Marian in Super League action the week before to book their spot in the penultimate rounds of the Pat Duffy National Cup at the expense of a Flexachem KCYMS outfit they beat 87-74 in Coláiste Éanna on Saturday night.

The defending Super League champions again benefitted from a good spread of scoring, five of their players reaching double figures, including Sean Jenkins on a game-high 23 points.

Isiah Dasher drained five of his seven efforts from beyond the arc on his way to game-best 30-point total, as Killester ran out 107-88 winners over Energywise Ireland Neptune to secure their place in the last four.

A successful evening for @KillesterBball 🤝

Two wins in both the Paudie O'Connor National Cup and Pat Duffy National Cup see's their men's and women's team stamp their passes into the Semi-Finals 🎫

📸 Martin Doherty & Inpho#BINationalCup 🏆 pic.twitter.com/r0okrnvWn8

— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) December 7, 2024

Paul Dick also recorded a big game for the Dubliners in Neptune Stadium with 20 points, five rebounds and six assists to help see off a Neptune side that finished with five players in double digits, among them Jahmal Wright on 19.

EJ Sligo All-Stars completed the semi-final line-up for this season’s Pat Duffy National Cup after they prevailed 84-79 in the face of a severe test by Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU in Mercy College on Saturday night.

A late three from Quashawn Lane left as much between the two sides with nine seconds remaining, but two converted free throws by Thomas Child ensured further passage to the last four for the hosts.

Robert Montgomery served up a big display for Sligo, emerging top scorer on 24 points, while also mopping up 12 rebounds, while Joshua Tomaic was just as effective for Ballincollig, carding 22 points and 10 rebounds. 

Killester put behind them a difficult patch in their Women’s Super League title defence to secure a semi-final berth in this season’s Paudie O’Connor National Cup by way of a 65-57 triumph over The Address UCC Glanmire in Clontarf on Saturday night.

A big fourth-quarter performance saw the Dublin side turn a three-point deficit into an eight-point success, Samantha Haiby and Michelle Clarke combining for 18 in that period to take their total on the night to 42, while Ieva Bagdanaviciene soaked up 15 rebounds.

For Killester head coach, Mark Grennell, it was a welcome return to winning ways for his side in the wake of two successive league defeats on the road to Glanmire and Catalyst Fr. Mathews.

“It was a hard-fought win” said the Killester boss after Saturday night’s game. “Both teams were banged up and neither had their best stuff, but we found a performance in that fourth quarter to grab the win” he smiled.

FloMAX Liffey Celtics fought back from eight points down at the half-time recess to beat Catalyst Fr. Mathews 83-73 in their Paudie O’Connor National Cup quarter-final clash in Leixlip Amenities Centre on Saturday night, subsequently exacting revenge for their loss to the Cork side in the semi-finals of last season’s competition.

While Kyra White hurt the hosts off the three-point line as she amassed a game-high 31 points for the visitors, Celtics turned to their own long-range specialist in Ireland international, Sorcha Tiernan who, herself, nailed six attempts from beyond and arc, while draining all of her nine free throws on her way to a haul of 29 points.

Áine O’Connor and Alexis Tucker also made significant contributions for the Kildare side with a combined 31 points and 22 rebounds.

“The first half didn’t go as we wanted, but it went as we feared” admitted Karl Kilbride, FloMAX Liffey Celtics head coach.

“We’ve been holding teams to 59 points a game, and we gave up 41 in the first half, but then we conceded 32 in the second, so we got back to ourselves.

“Fr. Mathews were so good in the first half, but I thought Sorcha and Áine were absolutely magnificent for us. They really stepped up, particularly in the second half when we needed them most. I’m delighted to be moving on” he said.

A big second-quarter display, in which they outgunned their opponents by 13, went a long way to seeing Utility Trust St. Paul’s beat Trinity Meteors 71-65 in Coláiste Íosagáin on Saturday night to reach to final four.

Gracen Kerr and Megan Ormiston each weighed in with 19 points and a combined total of 17 rebounds to help see the visitors fend off a spirited fight-back from Trinity.

SETU Waterford Wildcats gave no quarter to University of Galway Mystics as they rampaged to a 113-60 victory in their National Cup quarter-final encounter in Mercy Waterford on Saturday evening.

Currently in a share of the lead in this season’s Super League title race, Wildcats hit 30-point totals in three of the four quarters against bottom side Galway, Chelsea Cain, Sarah Hickey and Ashia McCalla delivering a huge 69 points and 39 rebounds between them.

In the President’s National Cup quarter-finals, Moy Tolka Rovers edged an 89-87 Dublin derby win in overtime at home against Mater Private Malahide on Saturday night.

ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers reached the last four of the President’s National Cup for the very first time after they weathered a huge fight-back by Drogheda Wolves to win out 82-69 in Ballymakenny College.

Titans BC clinched a 94-91 victory in their last-eight encounter with Limerick Sport Eagles in Ballinfoile Community Centre, while Limerick Celtics enjoyed a more comfortable 91-74 success against Carrick Cruisers in Crescent College. 

The two Saturday night Women’s Division One National Cup quarter-finals resulted in derby wins for both Oblate Dynamos and Limerick Celtics, the former beating Abbey Seals Dublin Lions 73-68 in Coláiste Bríde, while Celtics ran out 81-71 winners over Limerick Sport Huskies in St. Munchin’s.