Killester out to tame Tigers in intriguing tie

BASKETBALL National Cup quarter-finals: The four teams who will qualify for the big weekend of the basketball year will be decided by the coming Bank Holiday Monday when the national cup quarter-finals take place. The finals weekend will take place on January 28th-30th and will be televised by RTÉ.

The most intriguing last eight match-up sees the Tralee Tigers face Killester, the leading sides in the north and south conference.

Although a number of defections have weakened their side, Killester are still well on course for a league play-off spot and have only been beaten once this season. Significantly, that was at the hands of the Tigers.

Damien Sealy is considered unlikely to line out after damaging his hand, while for Tralee John Teehan has an ankle injury and Micheál Quirke is currently away on the Kerry footballers' winter holiday to Las Vegas and Cancun.

Cup holders UCC Demons, who are seeking a three-in-a-row this year, host UCD at the Mardyke Arena on Monday afternoon.

The Demons are on a hot streak with six wins from their last seven outings but UCD have got into the cup spirit after progressing via the back door following defeat to Limerick in the opening round.

Also on Monday, Limerick travel to Dublin to play St Vincent's as the two second-placed sides in the respective conferences square up.

Before all that though, the real giant killers of the competition, the Killarney Lakers, will attempt to overcome last year's finalists Neptune in Cork on Sunday. The Lakers have had a miserable year, winning just a solitary game against the equally poor Star of the Sea in the first round.

Meanwhile, the semi-finals of the men's and women's Junior National Cup take place in the ESB Arena on Sunday with Killester the only club represented in both competitions.

MEN'S NATIONAL CUP QUARTER-FINALS: Sunday - Neptune v Killarney, Neptune, 3.0 Monday - UCC Demons v UCD, Mardyke Arena, 3.15; Killester v Tralee Tigers, IWA, 3.0; St Vincent's v Limerick Lions, St Vincent's CBS, 3.15.