Demons leave Tigers terrorised

BASKETBALL: The Tralee Tigers were clearly suffering from a hangover, not literally we presume, as they struggled to get anything out of this weekend's double header.

Chris Craig's men returned to the scene of last week's cup success, the National Arena in Tallaght, to just get past Southern Conference basement side Shamrock Rovers Hoops before being cleaned out at home by the UCC Blue Demons.

The Demons match was supposed to be a celebration of their first cup success but it turned into a rout as the Cork side climbed to second in the Southern Conference with an emphatic 97-80 win.

The same fate befell the women's champions Killester, except the extent of their defeat was much worse.

They went to Limerick to play a fired-up UL Aughinish, who surrendered a two-year unbeaten run to the Dublin girls in last Sunday's final.

The beating meted out to Killester was hefty as Michelle Aspell, notably inconspicuous last week, racked up 19-points in the 80-33 hammering. UL may have handed over their cup but the league doesn't look like following suit.

Elsewhere, Star of the Sea finally pulled off a victory that looks set to hurt Ballina's drive for the play-offs. Liam McHale continued to defy his age by posting 20-points but UCD's victory over Killester puts them third in the table.

Jamal Jones finished with 35-points to leave Killester with a slim two-point lead in the northern conference.

St Vincent's remain second after they just managed to beat Neptune 96-94 in Cork. Paul Tonkovich (34 points) and Mike Trimmer (21 points) had big games, something they were unable to do on live television last week.

Elsewhere, Neptune beat Waterford to stay third in a Southern Conference that is now a desperately close-run thing with only a two points spreading second to fourth, although Tralee look comfortable six points clear at the top and on course for the double. It would be a remarkable achievement by 23-year-old player-coach Craig in just his first season in Ireland.