There are just two teams still standing in both the Men’s and Women’s Champions Trophy competitions after an action-packed weekend of basketball.
In the Men’s Champions Trophy, reigning champions Garvey’s Tralee Warriors were knocked out at the semi-final stages at the hands of Belfast Star.
Star came into today’s game off the back of a 43-84 point beating of UCD Marian in the quarter-finals on Saturday and travelled to Tralee with the same intensity, winning out over this year’s league champions on a final scoreline of 65-81 to see them into the final.
Star will now meet Templeogue, who also came through a double-header weekend of action to clinch their third final spot in as many years.
The Dubliners defeated DCU Saints in a cracking derby on Saturday evening, prevailing 108-95 to see them through to another derby on Sunday. They went head-to-head with Pyrobel Killester in Clontarf, where they held off a late Killester comeback to see home an 84-88 point win and another chance at winning an elusive Champions Trophy title.
In the Women’s Champions Trophy, Courtyard Liffey Celtics and Singleton SuperValu Brunell served up an absolute thriller in their semi-final battle in Carlow, with Liffey managing to hold on at the death to win 71-69 in the end.
The league and cup champions were in control for much of the game with fine performances from Allie LeClaire and Sorcha Tiernan, but a stunning fourth quarter from Brunell (which saw them outscore Liffey 26-9) put the game right back in the melting pot.
Time ran out on the comeback though and a relieved Liffey Celtics are headed for the final in a bid to clinch their third bit of silverware this season.
Celtics will meet Fr Mathews in the final after they put in a dominant display in the second semi-final of the afternoon to overcome DCU Mercy 39-57.
Standout performances from Grainne Dwyer, Shannon Brady and Niamh Dwyer kept DCU to just 16 points in the first half, and despite some big plays down the stretch from DCU's Bronagh Power Cassidy, Mathews kept the pressure up to drive home to glory.
In the Women’s Division One League Cup meanwhile, Maree and Ulster University Elks have booked their spots in the final to see a hugely anticipated rematch of the Hula Hoops National Cup final as they came through their semi-final clashes at the weekend.
Meanwhile, there are four teams still standing in the Men’s Division One League Cup, with Tradehouse Central Ballincollig, Abbey Seals Dublin Lions, IT Carlow Basketball and Bad Bobs Tolka Rovers coming out the right side of their battles.
