Belfast Star close in on Domino’s Men’s Super League leaders Limerick Eagles as both sides secure round five wins

Limerick Eagles secured a home 96-65 win over EJ Sligo All-Stars to maintain their position as Domino’s Men’s Super League leaders, as Belfast Star kept the pressure on from second place with a 101-87 victory over Griffith College Éanna. Defending Domino’s Men’s Super League champions Ballincollig got back to winning ways with an 84-79 win over Killester, and Limerick Celtics secured third place with an emphatic win over UCD Marian. St. Vincent’s remain winless in five games after 94-74 defeat to UCC Demons and Garvey’s Tralee Warriors win 105-101 in a dramatic contest with Energywise Ireland Neptune.

Limerick Eagles maintained their position as Domino’s Men’s Super League leaders with an emphatic 96-65 win over EJ Sligo All-Stars. Limerick Eagles stormed to an early 27-11 lead after the first quarter and maintained that 16-point advantage through to the second half. Despite EJ Sligo All-Stars impressive 20-point third quarter, Limerick Eagles stretched the gap to 33 points in the final minute of the contest. 

Alex Carlisle picked up his third 30-point game of the season, while Tobias Christensen claimed his first double-double of the season with ten points and 13 rebounds. Liam Murphy topped the Sligo All-Stars scoreboard with 17 points, but the Connacht side struggled to get the ball in the basket, making 34% of shots from two-point range and only 21% from beyond the arc. Limerick Eagles take the trip to Dublin in round six to face UCD Marian, while EJ Sligo All-Stars go north to take on Belfast Star. 

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Belfast Star closed the gap on Limerick Eagles with a 101-87 win against Griffith College Éanna in the second Sunday fixture. Belfast Star produced a phenomenal first quarter scoring display, racking up 37 points to Éanna's 28. Éanna steadied the ship and levelled the game for the fourth quarter at 72-72; however, Belfast Star fired out of the blocks in the final period and ran away 101-87 winners. 

Éanna's Mykhailo Kucheriavyi starred for the Dublin side, tallying up 20 points and ten rebounds, while Irishman Cathal O’Sullivan ended the game with 17 points. Shane Bell made the biggest impact for Belfast, scoring 35 points, as Jordan Green and Rapolas Buivydas collected double doubles. Belfast Star welcome EJ Sligo All-Stars to the Newforge Sports Complex in round six, as Griffith College Éanna take on Dublin rivals St. Vincent’s. 

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Defending Domino’s Men’s Super League champions Ballincollig picked up a second win in a row, as they defeated Killester 84-79. Ballincollig strode to a six-point lead in the first half, with Adrian O’Sullivan and AJ Williams combining for 27 points in the 20 minutes. Killester got back on track and won the third quarter, before levelling the game at the start of the final period. Ballincollig then scored six unanswered points, before eventually winning 84-79. Ballincollig will face UCC Demons in a Cork derby this weekend, as Killester host Energywise Ireland Neptune in the National Basketball Arena. 

Garvey’s Tralee Warriors won a dramatic contest against Energywise Ireland Neptune in Cork, as the Kerry side escaped 105-101 winners. Tralee Warriors ran away with an eight-point advantage after the first quarter and maintained that gap until the second half. The deficit grew larger for Neptune, as Tralee went 20-points clear in the third quarter. Adam Drummond’s Neptune fought valiantly in the final period to outscore Tralee by 34-25, but the damage was already done, and Tralee went home four-point winners. Energywise Ireland Neptune take a trip to Dublin to face Killester next week, as Garvey’s Tralee Warriors host Limerick Celtics. 

Limerick Celtics ran away 19-point winners over UCD Marian in Dublin, dropping UCD Marian to tenth in the league. Limerick Celtics took a seven-point advantage in the first quarter, before extending that lead to eight at half-time. UCD Marian struggled to bridge the gap, allowing Limerick Celtics to get to a 22-point lead in the fourth quarter. UCD Marian coughed up 22 turnovers during the contest, leading Limerick Celtics to win 98-79. Tony Hehir’s Limerick Celtics travel to Kerry in round six, as UCD Marian host league leaders Limerick Eagles. 

UCC Demons defeated bottom of the table St. Vincent’s at the Mardyke Arena to leave the Dublin side winless after five games. St. Vincent’s took a one-point lead into the second quarter, as Scott Stone and Kingsley Nwagboso combined for 21 points in the period. UCC Demons took the fight to Vincent’s in the second quarter, outscoring the visitors by 11 points. Demons kept the scoreboard tipping over the second half to maintain the lead and come out 94-74 winners. UCC Demons face off against Ballincollig in a Cork derby in round six, as St. Vincent’s hope to get their first win of the season against eleventh place Griffith College Éanna.