DCU Mercy have taken a step closer to a Women’s Premier League regular season title with a 12-point win at defending champions Team Montenotte Hotel.
Chelisa Painter, Aoife McDermott and Sarah Woods combined for 75 points in the 82-70 win.
“They’re a very motivated team right now and moving the ball a bit better which always makes it easier,” said coach Mark Ingle. “We’ve found a new way to win.”
Mercy recovered from a 19-6 first quarter deficit to lead by eight points at half time.
Meteors kept control of a playoff spot with a gritty 58-40 win at Courtyard Liffey Celtics while 20 points from Cathy Kavanagh helped understrength Maxol WIT Wildcats beat Portlaoise Panthers 71-56.
Panthers were also beaten 70-50 on Sunday as Singleton SuperValu Brunell picked up their third win in a row while Pyrobel Killester toughed out a 64-59 win over UL Huskies.
In the Men’s Premier League, GCD Swords Thunder inflicted a first defeat of the season on Templeogue with an 80-69 win at the ALSAA.
Templeogue struggled in the Men’s National Cup Final dress-rehearsal with Jason Killeen in foul trouble and Conor Grace going off injured. Thunder’s high tempo and aggressive defence paid off.
Winning Coach Dave Baker said: “When a team is unbeaten, everyone steps up to try and knock them down. Neither side played well tonight but they only beat us by a point last time out so we felt we owed them a little.”
The win allowed C&S UCC Demons go top of the table with an extra game played, thanks to their 80-68 win over UCD Marian at the Mardyke Arena.
In the biggest shootout of the season, UL Eagles won 112-100 at Belfast Star while SSE Airtricity Moycullen moved up to eighth by beating Eanna 76-68 in Galway.
