Unbeaten UCC Demons intent on completing a clean sweep

The Basketball Ireland National League season comes to a close this weekend with seven finals down for decision in Galway.

C&S UCC Demons have achieved the rare feat of going unbeaten for the season in league and cup but no club has ever completed the clean sweep of all three national competitions with a perfect record.

The worry for the other contenders is that Demons are also looking to secure the Champions Trophy for the third year in a row and player coach Colin O’Reilly says they have no intention of letting up.

“All season we’ve kept digging in,” he said. “We kept being as relentless as we could. Now we’re going for history to win this.”

Underdog situation

Travelodge Swords Thunder are hoping for a crack at the champions but they’ll need to get through Black Amber Templeogue first. Thunder’s Spenser Mitchell wants to make a statement.

“We knew Thunder were moving into the Premier League in an underdog situation but I think that we’re capable of coming away with something. We fell apart against Demons in the league but I know if we get another shot at them and find our stride a little bit earlier, we’ll have a shot to take home something,” he said.

Team Montenotte Hotel are the reigning Women’s Premier League champions and they’ll be facing fellow Cork club Singleton SuperValu Brunell in tomorrow’s showpiece. The Dwyer sisters lining out for Montenotte were recently listed among the greatest Irish players ever to play the game while Brunell have some of Ireland’s best up-and-coming talent to bolster their ranks.

For some it’s more than just the end of a season. Quinnipiac University announced the signing of Edel Thornton to the Bobcats, so the Brunell starlet is off on a four-year scholarship to Connecticut, USA.

“It’s my last game and I think both teams were hoping for a Brunell-Glanmire final,” said Thornton. “I’m only 18 and the oldest on our team is only 25 so to reach a Premier League final in only unbelievable. I can’t wait.”

All games will be streamed live on Basketball Ireland’s website.

FIXTURES

Saturday

NUIG Kingfisher Women’s Premier League Shield Final: UL Huskies v Pyrobel Killester, 12:00

Champions Trophy Semi-finals: C&S UCC Demons v Pyrobel Killester, 14:00 Travelodge Swords Thunder v Black Amber Templeogue, 16:00.

Women’s Division 1 Playoff Final: Portlaoise Panthers v Oblate Dynamos, 18:00

Women’s Premier League Playoff Final: Team Montenotte Hotel v Singleton Supervalu Brunell, 20:00

Men’s League Cup semi-finals: DCU Saints v BFG Neptune, St Mary’s Hall, Portlaoise, 16:30 UCD Marian v Team Left Bank Kilkenny, St Mary’s Hall, Laois, 19:00

Sunday

NUIG Kingfisher U18 Women’s Shield Final: Ulster Elks v Moycullen BC, 10:00

U18 Men’s Shield Final: Neptune BC v Kestrels, 12:00

Men’s League Cup Final: UCD Marian/Team Left Bank Kilkenny v BFG Neptune/DCU Saints 14:00

Men’s Champions Trophy Final: C&S UCC Demons/Pyrobel Killester v Travelodge Swords Thunder/Black Amber Templeogue

Men’s Division One: SSE Airtricity Moycullen v Maree, 18:30