Six Cork basketball teams heading to National Cup finals

There was another basketball extravaganza in Cork last weekend with National Cup semi-final games at three venues with Neptune Stadium, GCU Arena in Gurranabraher and MTU Arena providing top-class action for reasonable attendances.

There will be six teams representing Cork at the finals in Dublin on the weekend of January 16-18 and no doubt there will be a flock of fans from all clubs heading to Tallaght.

Congratulations go to Ballincollig, Rebel Wheelers, Fr Mathew’s, Neptune with Brunell having two teams with their U18 and U20 teams successful in their semi-finals.

Ballincollig got the show on the road on Friday with an extra-time win over Limerick Celtics in the Pat Duffy Men’s National Cup semi-final.

This game wasn’t easy on the eye but for the basketball purist, it was an opportunity to see how Ballincollig shut down teams with some excellent defending.

Player-coach Ciaran O’Sullivan looked more relieved than happy after the game as he now has to put a plan together to take down Tralee Warriors in the final.

The Warriors eventually got over a very disappointing UCD Marian side whose coach Ioannis Liapakis seems to love substituting players as at one stage, he had both Americans sitting on the bench with the game still very much within their reach.

CARNIVAL

In the end, UCD were comfortably beaten and that must have pleased Basketball Ireland as the Tralee band of fans like nothing better than creating a carnival atmosphere at basketball headquarters.

UCC Glanmire put up a fairly brave show against Killester for three quarters of their Women’s Paudie O’Connor semi-final but can have few excuses as they lacked the artillery to trouble the Clontarf outfit.

One club buzzing from the weekend is Brunell whose two sides qualified for the U18 and U20 women’s finals.

It all began on Friday at Gurranabraher for Brunell when they hosted Glanmire and with an array of Super League players in their squad, they had little difficulty in disposing of their Cork opponents. In fairness, Brunell coach Jody Black has a good basketball IQ and is sure to have her team primed for their final against Templeogue.

Club chairman Kieran O’Leary is at the helm of their U18 squad and after a slow start against Kilkenny Stars, they eventually booked their final berth in impressive fashion.

TRICKY

Just like their U20 counterparts, they face another tricky final when they face the might of Limerick Celtics who have plenty of tall opponents for the Leesiders to contend with on the boards.

Neptune coach Adam Drummond was elated when his side produced a magnificent performance to topple a highly-fancied Portlaoise Panthers in the U20 Men’s clash at the Neptune Stadium.

Fr Mathew’s were another side to do the business when they saw off a very good Killester side at the GCU Arena in the Women’s NICC with stalwart Niamh Dwyer producing an awesome display.

The Rebel Wheelers will travel to the capital on January 16 hoping to win their seventh IWA National Cup in a row with a mouth-watering final against South East Swifts.