Tolka Rovers capable of taking on mantle as weekend's surprise side

On paper, it appears a bit predictable. The semi-final line-ups for this weekend's Sprite Cup, which starts at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght this evening, could easily be billed as one-sided affairs.

In defending the men's cup, Denny Notre Dame are pitted against Tolka Rovers, a team wallowing at the wrong end of the ESB Superleague. And tomorrow, the in-form St Vincent's take on a struggling Waterford Crystal.

Yet form can count for little in the Cup: last year, for example, both finals and two semi-finals were decided by just one point, most significantly with Tolka Rovers upsetting Avonmore Wildcats for the women's title.

This year, on the men's side, Notre Dame are back in search of a record fourth title in succession, but even with their superb league form and fully-fit team available, they won't be underestimating Tolka's challenge.

Lennie McMillan (who, unfortunately has had flu this week) and Randall Mounts, who have both previously won cup medals with Notre Dame, have switched to Tolka this season. And Greg Haffner, Tolka's more recent American addition, has averaged 16 points per game this season.

Anthony Jenkins, the taskmaster of cup weekends, will play a major role for Notre Dame. Last year the player-coach ended up their top scorer in the final and in recent weeks has helped Notre Dame move to joint second on the league table.

For St Vincent's, who meet Waterford Crystal tomorrow evening, key players Stephen McGuirk and Mark Keenan carry slight injuries but should be fit to start.

Waterford's league form (they are third from the bottom) makes them rank outsiders, something which does not bother coach Michael Evans: "When you look at the four teams, then yeah, we're the ones who wouldn't be on form," he says. "We just haven't been playing as well as we can, but to be honest I think our position in the league is not reflecting how close a lot of our games have been."

There is one big concern for Evans, however, in that the highly influential Dean Kavanagh stood on the ball two weeks ago, injuring his ankle, and hasn't played since. If he has not recovered, Waterford will be in even more trouble.

It looks like trouble as well for Meteors and Killester, who respectively meet defending champions Tolka Rovers and league champions Avonmore Wildcats in the women's semi-finals - the same line-up as last year. Unbeaten in their 14 league outings this season, it will be some surprise if Tolka are sent crashing by Meteors this evening. The champions, tough, will be without Denise Scally.

There may be more of a hope for Killester tomorrow evening, even though they will probably be without the injured June Blount. Still, the Wildcats haven't been the invincible side of the past this season, and key scorer Jillian Hayes is suffering from a hip injury.

Also included in the weekend action are the two under-19 semi-finals and finals, with defending champions on the men's side, Killester, meeting Dublin rivals Marian in the first semi-final. The surprise run of Kerry Spring Killarney has sent them into the other semi-final, with Delta Notre Dame, who should have the services of senior panelists Ciaran Dempsey and Ciaran McEvilly.

In the battle for junior women's cup, Wildcats, the holders, meet Kerry Spring Killarney, with the other tie between Blarney and Meteors.