Mark Keenan hoping UL Eagles get back on track

Head coach of UL Eagles Mark Keenan is eager for his team to get “back on track” this weekend as they face Belfast Star in

the men’s Premier League following two straight losses.

Coming off their surprising loss to Dublin Inter in the National Cup, Eagles fell to Bord Gais Neptune last week in Cork. Both losses were by single-digit margins.

“We are obviously disappointed but we need to get ourselves back on track,” said Keenan.

While the Dublin native acknowledged the major threat that young Star guard Paul Dick (averaging 19 points a game this season) will pose for his Limerick squad, he pointed to the his opponent’s other threats for Saturday’s tie.

“Yes Paul has been playing very well but when you look at Star’s stats they have a good spread of scoring and minutes with a number of guys popping up in games.”

Scott Kinevane remains an injury worry for Eagles and has only been involved in light training after missing the Neptune game last week.

Two in-form teams meet in Dublin tomorrow night when Dublin Inter, winners of two in a row, meet DCU Saints, winners of three straight. Both team’s had struggled prior to the break for the cup in mid-November but have benefited from the temporary change of focus to produce their best basketball of the season in recent weeks.

Also in Dublin tomorrow night, UCD Marian play host to Bord Gais Neptune. Marian continue to confound all analysis as they followed up their 30 point second leg trouncing of C&S UCC Demons two weeks ago by being pummelled by DCU Saints by 16 points on Saturday last. They face a Neptune team in good form whose recent win over Eagles kept them very much in the title race.

Sunday sees battles between top and bottom as first and second placed Killester and C&S UCC Demons face last and second last SSE Renewables Moycullen and Templeogue respectively.

In the women's Premier League, WIT Wildcats travel to Limerick to face a UL Huskies team that recently beat what had been the sole undefeated side in Singleton SuperValu Brunell.
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Saturday – Men's Premier League: Dublin Inter v DCU Saints, Mountview Y&C Club, 6pm; UCD Marian v Bord Gais Neptune, UCD Sports Centre, Dublin, 7pm; UL Eagles v Belfast Star, UL Sport Arena, Limerick, 7.30pm.
Women's Premier League: UL Huskies v WIT Wildcats, UL Sport Arena, Limerick, 5pm; Team Montenotte Hotel v Meteors, Upper Glanmire Sports Centre, Cork, 7pm; Liffey Celtics v Singleton SuperValu Brunell, Leixlip Amenities Centre, Kildare, 7.30pm. Sunday – Men's Premier League: C&S UCC Demons v Templeogue, Mardyke Arena, Cork, 3.15pm; Killester v SSE Renewables Moycullen, IWA Clontarf, Dublin, 3.45pm. Women's Premier League: Killester v Ulster Rockets, IWA Clontarf, Dublin, 1.30pm; DCU Mercy v Singleton SuperValu Brunell, DCU Sports Complex, Dublin, 2pm.