Preview: Garvey’s Tralee Warriors and Killester set to lock horns in New Year’s Super League blockbuster

The opening weekend of 2025 will serve up a much-anticipated top-of-the-table clash in Men’s Super League as Garvey’s Tralee Warriors welcome leaders, Killester to Tralee Sports Complex on Saturday night, while in Women’s Super League, joint leaders, SETU Waterford Wildcats face a tricky assignment on the road against Catalyst Fr. Mathews.

Both Garvey’s Tralee Warriors head coach, John Dowling and Killester boss, Jonny Grennell are gearing up for a New Year’s blockbuster in Men’s Super League when their sides lock horns in Tralee Sports Complex on Saturday night.

While the Dublin outfit do hold the inside track in this season’s title race, having carved out a three-point lead with a game in hand over both Tralee and UCC Demons in joint second place, they will be heading into the backyard of a Tralee team that appears to have steadied the ship after a recent run of five defeats.

 Killester player Kason Harrell (32) in action against Bright St. Vincent's in the Men's Super League

Indeed, the Kerry side has since picked up three wins against Flexachem KCYMS, Templeogue and defending champions, Griffith College Éanna, and will be going all out to close the gap on Killester, who have not tasted defeat since back in mid-October.

That said, their last reversal came at the hands of none-other than Tralee, the Warriors running out 82-63 winners when they met in Clontarf in the third-round of fixtures.

Since then, Killester have been irrepressible, storming to the top of the table and into the last four of the Pat Duffy National Cup, yet head coach, Grennell knows his side will have their work cut out in extending that run against Tralee.

“We've a lot of big games coming up, but we can only go one step at a time” said the Killester boss. “Tralee are in great form again after a spate of injuries and we’re really looking forward to the challenge they pose" he said.

Dowling, likewise, appreciates the challenge his Warriors side face in their opening game of the new year, saying “Killester have been in flying form. It’s a huge test for our squad, but one we’re looking forward to.”

UCC Demons, meanwhile, will be looking to keep themselves firmly among the top three when they welcome Bright St. Vincent's to Mardyke Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Daniel O’Mahony's side, who continue the defence of their Pat Duffy National Cup title against EJ Sligo All-Stars next week, are on a three-game winning streak in the league as they go up against a St. Vincent's team in search of their first W since early November.

Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU will be aiming to exact revenge on EJ Sligo All-Stars for their National Cup quarter-final defeat last month when they entertain Shane O'Meara's side in MTU Arena.

Defending Men's Super League champions, Griffith College Éanna make the trip to University of Galway Kingfisher to take on Maree in the hope garnering some much-needed momentum as they bid to try and bridge the nine-point gap that currently separates them from pacesetters, Killester.

It's a busy start to the new year for the 5 and 7 UCD Marian who play host to Energywise Ireland Neptune on Saturday night and then Belfast Star on Sunday afternoon, both of their opponents sitting just three points ahead of them in the table.

Templeogue will be hoping they can ignite the new year with a much-needed victory over Flexachem KCYMS in the National Basketball Arena on Saturday, the Killorglin side having prevailed by eight points in their previous encounter back in October.

 

Women’s Super League joint-leaders, SETU Waterford Wildcats resume their campaign with a dicey trip to Catalyst Fr. Mathews on Saturday, and head coach, Jillian Hayes is hopeful their extended Christmas break will have served them well in remedying any lingering injury concerns within the squad.

“We’ve had a couple of injuries over the last few weeks and we’re still unsure if we’ll have everyone back yet” she said.

“Hopefully the rest over the Christmas break will help with recovery, because we know we need everyone fit and ready to keep us on a winning streak” she insisted.

Indeed, Fr. Mathews have demonstrated their potential to unhinge some of the other big hitters in the league, including defending champions, Killester whom they edged out by three points at the end of November.

The Cork side will be coming into this fixture on the back of two straight victories over Utility Trust St. Paul’s and University of Galway Mystics, but Wildcats, who have not faltered once since their opening-day loss to Killester back in early October, are sure to provide a far tougher test.

FloMAX Liffey Celtics sit level with Waterford at the top of the table, albeit having played a game more, and they will be eager to ensure they remain there when they host a Midlands Park Portlaoise Panthers outfit that has bagged some significant scalps this season.

Keith Conroy’s side has already taken down the likes of Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell and The Address UCC Glanmire, but they will be heading into Saturday’s game against Celtics without a win in their last three outings.

They have not been helped by the temporary absence of Jessica Fressle, and they could certainly do with the American power forward back in their ranks for the trip to Leixlip, as they bid to pull off a new year’s shock against the joint-table toppers, whom, while boasting the best defensive record in the league, have struggled to light up on offence over recent games.

“Portlaoise could prove quite a tough game for us” warned Karl Kilbride, FloMAX Liffey Celtics head coach, who himself has been missing the influential Ciara Bracken from his line-up over recent weeks. “They’ve got a lot of fire-power, they’ve had wins over good teams and they caused Wildcats all kinds of problems two weeks ago.

“They can put up points in a hurry and, while our defence has been good, we haven’t been good offensively over the last couple of weeks. We’ve left a lot of points behind us and we can’t afford to keep doing that” he stressed.

Killester will reignite their title defence following a two-week break when the in-form Trinity Meteors pay them a visit in IWA Clontarf on Saturday.

The visitors will be coming into this game buoyed by a run of four straight league wins, including a 93-79 success against The Address UCC Glanmire last weekend, while Killester appear to have got their campaign back on the rails with a couple of victories, most notably, a two-point overtime triumph at home to FloMAX Liffey Celtics.

Both The Address UCC Glanmire and Utility Trust St. Paul’s will be looking to bounce back from weekend defeats when they collide in Mardyke Arena on Sunday, just after the tip-off, in Parochial Hall, between Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell and a University of Galway Mystics outfit that will be hoping 2025 quickly brings with it, a first win of the season.

 

In Men's Division One, the only two remaining unbeaten teams, Limerick Celtics and ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers start the new year on the road, with the former making the trip to Ballymakenny College on Saturday night to take on Drogheda Wolves, while North Conference leaders, Portlaoise are in UL Arena earlier that same day to face Limerick Sport Eagles.

Both Titans and Scotts Lakers Killarney, who share second place in the South Conference, will also have to negotiate tough away assignments, the Galway outfit taking on an Ulster University side that very nearly toppled the 11 and 0 Portlaoise last weekend.

Scotts Lakers Killarney, meanwhile, head to Dublin to tackle a Mater Private Malahide team looking to add to their double overtime success against Joel's Dublin Lions last weekend.

SETU Waterford Vikings, who, last weekend, ended a run of six defeats at the expense of Killarney Cougars, entertain Carrick Cruisers in SETU Arena, while Team NorthWest head to Scoil Ruain to face Tipp Talons.

Moy Tolka Rovers will be targeting a fourth win on the bounce when they take on Maigh Cuilinn at home, while Joels Dublin Lions make the trip to Killarney Cougars.

 

With unbeaten Women’s Division One leaders McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles not in action on the opening weekend of the new year, it’s a chance for second place Limerick Sport Huskies and iSecure Swords Thunder to close the gap at the top to six points.

The latter head to the National Basketball Arena for a Dublin derby against Templeogue on Saturday, while Huskies welcome Oblate Dynamos to St. Muchin’s College later that same day.

It’s fourth against fifth, as Limerick Celtics make the trip to Newforge Sports Complex for a date with Cleveland Rockets, while another Dublin derby completes this round of Women’s D1 fixtures, as Abbey Seals Dublin Lions play host to Moy Tolka Rovers in Coláiste Bríde.