Drogheda Wolves edge past ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers in Domino’s Men’s Division One

Drogheda Wolves maintained their advantage at the top of the Domino’s Men’s Division One with a two-point, 73-71, win over ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers on Saturday. Vernon Jackson, who had 26 points, scored with just under a minute to go to edge Wolves ahead and ensure they took home their 14^th victory of the season.

The win for Wolves has them at 14-3, alone at the summit of the table, with a one-win advantage over the two sides below them. Panthers are currently sitting in the 10th spot, one win away from the three sides above them tied for seventh. However, Panthers have two extra games to play, which could be crucial in the playoff race.

Tipp Talons won a thrilling encounter against Ulster University 102-101, thanks to a Matthew McHale floater from just inside the three-point line on the buzzer. After a missed opportunity from Ulster University, Talons got a fast-break, which gave McHale the opportunity to win a game that had 19 separate lead changes.

Talons are now 11^th with a record of 7-10 after the win in which Michael Pierre scored 38 points in 38 minutes, whilst Ulster University are ninth at 9-8, level with both Titans BC and Moy Tolka Rovers.

Limerick Sport Eagles kept pace with the other sides chasing a home playoff berth, winning 107-74 against Malahide on Saturday evening. Darragh Horkan led the way for Eagles, with 24 points, including six threes. The duo of Alex Carlisle and Ryan Leonard combined for 30 points. For Malahide, it was Stephen Safo running the show, scoring 23 and having 10 rebounds.

Eagles are now 12-5, two wins away from Drogheda Wolves at the top of the Domino’s Men’s Division One table. For Malahide, a difficult season continues: they suffered their 14th loss and are currently 14^th.

Dublin Lions remained level with SPK Utility Trust Lakers in the table with a 25-point victory over Maigh Cuilinn. Four players scored in double-digits for the Lions, with Kevin Anyanwu, Aran Lee, Ignacio Folgueiras and Russell Marr all scoring well in the 82-57 win.

Lions are now 13-4, along with Lakers, in joint second. Maigh Cuilinn are in 12^th, with a record of 7-9 after what is a second straight defeat for Maigh Cuilinn.

Titans BC slipped up in the fight for the playoffs with a 64-68 loss to Carrick Cruisers, who are edging closer to the home playoff spots. Braxton Benham kept his impressive form with a 22-point performance for Cruisers. Umar Rachid scored a game-high 27 for Titans, but despite an early lead in the first quarter, couldn’t find another lead for the rest of the game.

Titans BC are now 9-8 for the season, level with both Moy Tolka Rovers and Ulster University. Cruisers are in fifth place, level with Maree on 11 victories, but Maree have two more games to play than Carrick Cruisers. Cruisers are just one win away from fourth place, currently occupied by Eagles.

Moy Tolka Rovers had a convincing 100-69 victory over Killarney Cougars on Saturday with Derek Murphy and Stephen Commins combining for 45 points. Daniel Ayoade and Sean McManus also scored in double digits for Tolka, in what was a much-needed triumph for Tolka, after losing their last three league games.

The win keeps Tolka in joint-seventh and, more importantly, still in the playoff places. Cougars are 15^th at 3-13, level with Malahide, but with one game in hand on Malahide.

Maree picked up an 84-63 win over Templeogue on Saturday to give them a major push towards the top four. Jason Killeen’s side never fell behind in the game with another memorable performance from Isaiah Taylor. Taylor scored 40 points for Maree, just a few weeks after a 57-point showing in the league.

Maree are just one win away from fourth position, however, they have played just 15 games to Limerick Sport Eagles’ 17. Templeogue remain 13^th with a record of 4-13.

SPK Utility Trust Lakers won a tenth consecutive league game this weekend, with a 109-69 victory over Team Northwest. The trio of Eoin Carroll, Samuel Grant and Stephen Kelly combined for 63 of Lakers 109 points. The win keeps Lakers in the fight at the top of the table, one win off of Drogheda Wolves. Team Northwest are now 0-17 for the season at the bottom of the Domino’s Men’s Division One.

In the Domino’s Women’s Division One, Moy Tolka Rovers defeated Limerick Celtics 76-73 in what was Tolka’s third win over Celtics this season after eliminating them from the WD1 National Cup earlier in the season. Tolka were behind by as much as 18 points as Irish U18 international Naomi Farrington and Dane Bertolina combined for 46 points, with both scoring 23 each. Sidney Richards led the way for Celtics with a strong 21-point, 11-rebound performance. However, Richards would foul out for a second consecutive game late in the fourth.

Tolka are now 7-7 for the season in fifth, two wins away from Celtics in the top four. Celtics now fall a game behind Limerick Sport Huskies in second and are now joined by Templeogue on nine wins.

Cleveland Rockets won a third straight game with a comfortable 77-45 triumph over Clunetech Kilkenny Stars. Aoibheann Donnelly scored 19 points for the Rockets, with the rest of the scoring being fairly even across the entire Rockets squad. For Stars, the newest acquisition, Kalyah Watson, scored 13 points in a loss that sees them fall to sixth.

Stars are 7-6 for the season, with a game in hand on Tolka above them in fifth. For Rockets, they are now 11-2 for the season at the top of the table, one win ahead of Limerick Sport Huskies, but also have an extra game to play over Huskies.

Limerick Sport Huskies enjoyed a 22-point, 85-53 victory over University of Galway Mystics on Sunday. Shelby Harmeyer enjoyed her biggest scoring game of the season, as she scored 34 points, including five threes, of which Huskies had only scored seven as a team. Emma Glavin and Kara McCleane led the way for Mystics, with Glavin scoring 13 and McCleane scoring 10 in the loss.

Huskies now have a one-win advantage in second over their Limerick counterparts in the Celtics and remain one game behind Cleveland Rockets. Mystics are in ninth, still level with Abbey Seals Dublin Lions on four wins, but it is Lions who occupy the final playoff spot.

Templeogue picked up a ninth win of the season with a 76-60 triumph over Swords Thunder in TUD Tallaght. Sofia Paska and Aoife O’Connell dominated for Templeogue, combining for 40 points. Paska also had a huge 14 boards in a double-double showing. For Swords, Kayce Vaile continued to lead the scoring for them with 23 points and 12 rebounds.

Templeogue are currently third in the table, level with Celtics, but have the advantage on points difference. Swords are in seventh place, just one win ahead of Lions and Mystics in eighth and ninth.

Abbey Seals Dublin Lions picked up a vital win in the fight for the final playoff spot with a 70-66 victory over Dublin Raiders to give them their fourth win of the season. Lions had three big scorers, with Makenzie Helms getting 19, Emily Smyth adding 17 and Sinead Keane scoring 16. For Raiders, Dominique Davis Mpesa led the way with 17 points in the defeat.

Lions are now eighth at 4-10, just behind the Thunder, but have also built a one-game cushion over the Raiders, who are at the bottom of the Domino’s Women’s Division One table.