There was National Cup action for the men and women this weekend, while there were also games in the women’s Premier League.
MEN'S NATIONAL CUP
Dublin Inter 84 (35) V UL Eagles 72 (24) – (After three overtimes were played.)
The most unexpected result of the weekend has to be Dublin Inter knocking the 2011 National Cup Champions and 2012 Premier League Champions, UL Eagles, out of the first round of this year’s National Cup.
It was a fairy-tale ending for Dublin Inter, who are competing in their second Premier League season.
In the first leg of the first round Dublin Inter lost by 11 points to UL Eagles in the UL Arena 74-63.
However, this weekend after three gruelling overtimes, Dublin Inter came out on top 84-72 giving them a one-point advantage overall on aggregate score to see them progress to the second round.
Dublin Inter 84 (35) (A.Statkus 28, M.Tamusauskas 22, M.Cepliauskas 12)
UL Eagles 72 (24) (N Campbell 28, D Graham 15, S King 15)
UCD Marian 98 (63) V C&S UCC Demons 68 (39)
In a surprise turn of events, C&S UCC Demons progressed to the second round by the skin of their teeth on a one point aggregate score.
Last weekend, the Cork side came out on top of the first leg 96-65 however this weekend it was the Dublin lads that came away with a 98-68 win.
Nonetheless, it was a bitter sweet victory for UCD Marian as they extreme efforts were not enough to secure a place in the second round.
For Demons it was Shane Coughlan who pulled them over the line when he hit a three-point buzzer beater to keep his sides’ National Cup dreams alive.
UCD Marian 98 (63) (B Drum 28, E Chubb 19, T King 15) C&S UCC Demons 68 (39) (L Colbert 14, S Coughlan 12, C O'Sullivan 13)
SSE Renewables Moycullen 80 (39) V Bord Gais Neptune 92 (48)
Reigning National Cup Champions Bord Gais Neptune travelled to Galway to take on SSE Renewables Moycullen and overcame the young side 92-80.
This result, coupled with their 104-59 win in the first leg, will see the Cork side progress to the next round.
SSE Renewables Moycullen 80 (39) (M Callaghan 33, P O'Brien 16, D Cunningham 12)
Bord Gais Neptune 92 (48) (G Walsh 23, D Townes 19, G Noonan 11)
Belfast Star 61 (26) V Killester 78 (41)
Killester continued in good form this week then they faced off with Belfast Star for the third time in as many weeks.
Their 61-78 convincing win on the road saw the Dubliners secure a place in the second round of the National Cup.
This game did not reflect the intensity of the first leg when they barely broke away from the northerners, 83-80.
Belfast Star 61 (26) (F Otis 16, A Quinn 10, M McKillop 9)
Killester 78 (41) (C Roe 24, M Bonaparte 18, J Behan 14)
DCU Saints 79 (38) V Templeogue 76 (33)
DCU Saints were also put to the test in the second leg when a rejuvenated Templeogue played them until the final whistle.
However, the northsiders came away with the win, 79-76. This was a much closer affair than the first leg the week previous when Templeogue lost 84-48 in their home gym.
DCU Saints 79 (38) (M Protvizors 15, E Quill 13, J Donnelly 13) Templeogue 76 (33) (P Taylor 28, L Thompson 15, I Gordon 16)
WOMEN'S NATIONAL CUP
DCU Mercy 71 (28) V WIT Wildcats 49 (26)
There was only one Women’s National Cup game this weekend and that was between DCU Mercy and WIT Wildcats with the Dublin side coming out on top with an impressive 71-49 win.
DCU Mercy 71 (28) (R Brittenham 18, S Woods 16, S Maguire 16) WIT Wildcats 49 (26) (RRoberts 10, M Mullally 10, J Coady 9)
WOMEN'S PREMIER LEAGUE
UL Huskies 70 (32) V Killester 77 (39)
Keeping in theme with this weekend’s unexpected results the Women’s Premier League did not fail to deliver when Killester overcame UL Huskies 70-77.
With tragic circumstances off the court affecting the momentum of the UL Huskies, Killester’s hard work on the road paid off.
UL Huskies 70 (32) (R Vanderwal 20, A McDermott 19, R Clancy 13)
Killester 77 (39) (C Bond 27, M Clarke 26, l Pardoe 10)
Meteors 62 (29) V Ulster Rockets 73 (40)
In Dublin, Meteors failed to come away with a result in their home gym when a determined Ulster Rockets visited and won 62-73.
Although the Dublin side fought until the final whistle, the gap that was created in the first half proved too difficult to overcome.
Meteors 62 (29) (K O'Flaherty 16, K Ganser 13, K Meany 12) Ulster Rockets 73 (40) (F Toner 21, K Shields 18, M McNally 17)
