Preview: Utility Trust St. Pauls Killarney cautious about “looking over the shoulder” in Domino’s Women’s Super League

Utility Trust St. Pauls Killarney welcome Trinity Meteors to Aura this weekend, hoping that a win can guarantee them a top-four finish, which would earn them a home playoff fixture for at least the quarter-final stage. For Meteors, a win is vital this weekend, as they are currently tied for fourth spot, with Brunell also on eight wins. It has been a mixed bag in recent weeks for Meteors, with two wins in their last four games.

Killarney are now unbeaten in five games after their 63-41 victory over McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles last weekend. Head coach James Fleming is aware of the tricky run-in that they face as they approach playoff time.

On Meteors, “ Meteors have a young squad with a lot of strength and depth. With Hazel Finn back, they have got their mojo back and are definitely a match for anyone”.

On the run-in, “ We are playing really well at the moment, but we have five really tough encounters coming up, a win here would guarantee us top four, a loss and you are looking over your shoulder”.

Joint-top with Killarney is Killester, who travel to St. Mary’s Hall on Sunday to face Midlands Park Portlaoise Panthers. After two losses against FloMAX Liffey Celtics and UCC Glanmire after suffering a major loss in American Samantha Haiby, Killester have since bounced back with back to back wins over Brunell and Catalyst Fr. Mathews. A win for Killester would give them the chance to go top on their own, depending on the result for Killarney.

Midlands Park Portlaoise have really struggled throughout this season, with both of their wins this season coming against the sole team below them in the table in Catalyst Fr. Mathews. The Panthers will be hoping to get some momentum going with just five games to play, so that they don’t fall closer to the foot of the table.

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Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell will be looking to enter the top four side of the playoff teams this weekend, when they head to Leixlip to face FloMAX Liffey Celtics. After two straight defeats, Brunell got their season back on track with a five-point win over SETU Waterford Wildcats last Saturday. Brunell’s head coach Liam Culloty says that last week’s win should hopefully give them some renewed consistency as we approach the run-in.

On the victory over Wildcats, “We are really hoping last weekend’s win will give us the confidence to be a little bit more consistent over the next few games”.

Speaking on the season, “It has been a strange season, and multiple teams will feel that they have a chance of winning the league once the playoffs start. For now, the key for us is building momentum for the playoffs and to try finish as high up the table as we can”.

For FloMAX Liffey Celtics, Hilary Netsiyanwa’s side have struggled to recover from their Domino’s WSL National Cup final defeat, losing two games on the bounce since that defeat to Killester in January. They currently sit in eighth with a record of 6-7, level with SETU Waterford Wildcats and McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles. A win for Celtics could lift them as high as sixth depending on results elsewhere.

UCC Glanmire find themselves in a precarious position in the Domino’s Women’s Super League. Sitting in third spot with a record of 9-4, one win away from both Killester and Killarney at the top, but also one win ahead of both Meteors and Brunell in fourth and fifth respectively. This weekend they will take on SETU Waterford Wildcats.

Wildcats are looking to rediscover some form after winning just one of their last four games. Irish international Sarah Hickey has averaged almost 28 points per game over the last four games along with nine rebounds for Wildcats. Given the current lay of the land in the table, this could potentially be a preview of a first-round matchup in the playoffs at the end of the season, so both sides will be hoping to get some momentum heading into the final four games of the season.

Catalyst Fr. Mathews play host McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles this weekend, looking to secure that first win of the season that has eluded them to this point in the season. For Eagles, they will hope to recover from their first league loss in four games last weekend against Killarney.

The three wins in a row has been a major factor in the promoted side making a push for the last few playoff spots in the table, a win could potentially leave them just one win away from the home playoff spots should Meteors and Brunell slip up this weekend.

All games in the Domino’s Women’s Super League will be broadcast live on BITV.