Neptune just one step from the title

NEPTUNE'S hard-won 80-72 victory over St Paul's in Killarney on Saturday night gives the Corkmen the opportunity to win the Budweiser Superleague on their home court next weekend when they face bottom club Queen's, Annadale.

Neptune's lone remaining rivals, Star of the Sea, remained mathematically in touch in the title race with a massive 138-96 victory over the reigning champions, Tralee, but the Belfast clubmen know that the title race is now all but over.

St Paul's, coached by former Neptune player and mentor Jim Nugent, played some of their best basketball of the season on Saturday night on their tight home court, and led Neptune 44-41 at halftime.

There were rarely more than a couple of baskets between the teams for almost the entire game and it was only in the final two minutes that Neptune eased six points clear.

Both sides went on court with depleted squads. Neptune were missing both the injured Gordon Fitzgerald and the unavailable Ger Heaphy while Killarney were without both Brian Clarke and James Fleming, who were dropped from the panel by coach Jim Nugent after they opted to play Gaelic football rather than basketball a week earlier.

With Killarney's Vince Daly having an unusually quiet game, the dominant Irish player on court was Neptune's in-form guard Stephen McCarthy, who was the difference between the sides.

With the two Americans from each side effectively cancelling each other out, the strength in depth of Neptune eventually told as the sensible use of bench players ensured that the Cork side had fresher legs on court in the vital closing minutes.

Neptune's Mario Mullen, with 28 points, was the highest scorer in the game and he won the MVP award. Terry Strickland backed up Mullen well throughout, contributing 21 points, while Nick Browning was Killarney's best player on 26 points.

Elsewhere in the Superleague, third-placed St Vincent's suffered a shock home defeat to Marian, by 94 points to 84. The St Vincent's Americans, Eric Stevens and Doug Arnold, contributed just 27 points between them in the game.

The result removes Marian from the relegation battle for good, while results elsewhere leave St Vincent's certain of playing in the Top Four Championship next month, although Delta could still overhaul the Glasnevin side to claim the third place in the table.

Delta easily defeat Killester 96-83 on Saturday to almost make sure of their Top Four berth, while in the battle of the bottom two clubs, the 104-90 victory of Queen's over Sligo means that the northwest club are now likely to be relegated along with the Belfast club.

In Division One. Dungannon clinched promotion to the Superleague with a 118-112 home win over St Mary's, Castleisland and Ballina remained on course to claim the second promotion spot with a 118-82 win over a below-strength Tolka Rovers.

The Gateaux Women's League campaign is now effectively down to just two clubs after Wildcats' 103-66 win over the injury- and illness-struck Naomh Mhuire in Waterford on Saturday. Wildcats lead the table by two points from Meteors, who defeated Brunell 88-47 in Sandyford on Saturday.

Blarney were presented with the Division Two women's trophy after their 74-54 home win over Sporting Belfast maintained a 100 per cent record throughout the season.