McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles lock up top spot while ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers secure North Conference title

ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers dug out an 88-73 victory over Tipp Talons in St. Mary’s Hall on Friday night to complete their march to the Men’s Division One North Conference title, while McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles locked up top spot in Women’s Division One after they beat Limerick Celtics 65-50 in Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash in Crescent College.

A hard-fought 88-73 victory over Tipp Talons in St. Mary’s Hall on Friday night saw ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers secure top spot in this season’s Men’s Division One North Conference.

Down by three points at the half-time recess, the hosts fought back for a win that took their league record to 16 and 2, James Phelan putting on an exhibition of free-throw shooting in the fourth quarter as he drained every one of his 13 attempts from the line to emerge top scorer on 26 points.

Eric Anderson and Davin McEvoy also weighed in significantly with a combined 40 points to help the Laois side see off a tough Tipp outfit for whom Joshua Reynolds put up 24.

“Last year, we were playing right to the last game of the season before we knew where we were in play-offs” recalled Jack Scully, ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers head coach.

“So this year, to have it locked up early and be able to use the next month to get better for the play-offs, I’m really happy” he said.

A double win on the road this weekend for Ulster University against Scotts Lakers Killarney (85-72) on Saturday night and Limerick Sport Eagles (97-68) in UL Arena on Sunday afternoon saw them secure a berth in this season’s play-offs.

Curtis Larousse followed up his 23-point haul against Killarney with 26 against Limerick, the Ulster talisman also registering a huge 20 rebounds and seven assists on Sunday.

Nathan Karren also made a significant contribution to Ulster’s cause over the weekend as he totalled 39 points and 27 rebounds over the two games.

Drogheda Wolves saw their play-off hopes dented somewhat following their 92-83 road defeat at the hands of Titans BC, who have subsequently tightened their grip on a top-four finish in the South Conference.

Both teams had five players in double figures by the close of proceedings in Ballinfoyle Castlegar Centre on Saturday night, with Titans’ Michael Hayes equalling the game-high 25 points that Christian Simmons served up for Drogheda, whose five-game winning streak was consequently ended with this result.

Moy Tolka Rovers kept themselves very much in the reckoning for a runners-up finish in the North Conference after they picked up a 94-83 win at home against Limerick Sport Eagles.

There was a double double for Tolka’s Emiliyan Grudov as he bagged 28 points and 16 rebounds, while Mike Wallace also made a significant impact for the Dublin side with a further 23 on the scoreboard.

Mater Private Malahide bolstered their hopes of clinching a play-off berth after they pulled clear in the fourth quarter for a 112-104 victory over SETU Waterford Vikings in Carrickpherish Hall.

Romonn Nelson converted all, but two, of his 18 free-throw attempts on his way to a huge 45-point haul for the Dublin side, while Matthew Harper also made a serious impact with a further 36 to help fend off a huge challenge by Waterford, who still had five players in double digits, among them Aaron Jackson and James Aboaba on a combined 60 points.

Maigh Cuilinn were taken to overtime by a Carrick Cruisers team that closed a 12-point gap in the fourth quarter, but it was the Galway side who returned home from Carrickmacross celebrating an 85-82 success.

Shamus Kahl, Gustas Pocevicius and Martin Provizors totalled 58 points and 32 rebounds for the homeside, but even that was not enough to see them prevail.

Maigh Cuilinn’s Cian Walsh, Aitor Munoz and James Loughnane all served up crucial buckets over the additional five minutes to clinch victory in a game that saw Grant Olsson card 25 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for the visitors.

Team NorthWest recorded a 93-73 triumph over Killarney Cougars in ATU Donegal to preserve their outside chance of a top-four finish in the North Conference.

While Joshua Strongman did put up 36 points and 14 rebounds for Killarney, his weighty contribution was still cancelled out by the combined 50 points that Shakeil Bertrand and Luke Cassidy contributed to the homeside’s cause.

South Conference winners, Limerick Celtics moved to 19 and 0 in the table after they edged out a gritty Joels Dublin Lions 88-83 in Coláiste Bríde on Saturday night.

Aidan Igiehon and Kevin Anyanwu each chalked up 21 points for the Clondalkin side, with the former also winning 14 defensive boards on his way to a total of 18 rebounds, but Lions still came up short against their unbeaten rivals, as AJ Williams emerged top scorer on 30.

 

McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles 65-50 win away to Limerick Celtics in Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash saw them lock down top spot in Women’s Division One ahead of this season’s play-offs.

The 2024/25 National Cup winners were coming into this latest game on the back of their eight-point success against Limerick Sport Huskies just the previous Friday, and they made a blistering start against Celtics in Crescent College, opening up a 12-point lead by the end of the first quarter that was enlarged to 18 by the half-time break.

Cavan’s Rahmena Henderson emerged the game’s most prolific performer with 29 points, while Lanetta Williams and Ciara Tolan chalked up a further 27 for the visitors.

“I’m very happy with two wins in three days” said John Stephens, McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles head coach.

“It’s never easy against either Limerick team, but a strong defensive performance in both games, coupled with some nice offence, saw us take the wins” he added.

Oblate Dynamos ended a run of four defeats in Division One after they pipped Moy Tolka Rovers for a 73-72 road win in Saturday night’s Dublin derby.

While it was a last-minute bucket by Samantha Massey that ultimately separated the sides in the end, Adia Brisker did most of the heavy lifting on offence for the visitors, as she chalked up 33 points and 12 rebounds to help address the combined 41 that Brahe Ashton and Jahnae Gyles totalled for Tolka.

It was an equally close affair up in Newforge Sports Complex, as Sofia Paska’s buzzer-beater saw Abbey Seals Dublin Lions edge Cleveland Rockets 75-74 to end a run of seven defeats for the Clondalkin side.

That decisive bucket took Paska’s game tally to 30 points as the Dublin side denied Rockets a fourth straight win in Division One, despite Anna Brennan and Caitlin Gloeckner totalling 39 points for the homeside.

Limerick Sport Huskies served up an impressive defensive display to see off Templeogue 77-41 in Nord Anglia on Saturday night.

Scout Frame led the way in the scoring charts for Limerick with 30 points, while Delia Moore and Katie Black provided the visitors with 24 rebounds and 15 assists on the night.