Killarney Cougars head to Dublin for Intermediate Cup clash with Tolka

WOMEN’S NATIONAL INTERMEDIATE CUP DIVISION ONE

KILLARNEY Cougars Senior Womens Basketball team will in National Cup action this weekend when they compete in the National Intermediate Cup (NICC) when the travel to Dublin to take on Tolka Rovers. The Cougars are this season coached by the experienced Liam Culloty from Tralee and he can call on a large experienced panel who will be well capable of big performances in the Cup.

Coach Culloty will look to experienced Cougars players Cassandra Buckley, Emer O’Neill, Amanda Brosnan and former Italian international Allyson Caggio, Marguerite Cronin and Marian O’Callaghan, all potential match winners all having played at national competition level in the past.

The addition of two incoming players this season Lynn Jones and Rheanne O’Shea will give Coach Culloty a strong hand with both involved in the national league with Tralee in the past couple of seasons.

Younger members Chloe O’Doherty, Megan Buckley and Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh also will add plenty of energy on the court in what is likely to be a high tempo Cup clash.

Injuries have ruled out Mairead Finnegan, Katie O’Brien and Sinead O’Connell who are all unavailable for the coming weeks.

Cougars recent form is good despite some disruption due to injuries with a win in the league over Falcons and two good performances in recent challenges with St Brendans Tralee, University Limerick UL and Fr Mathews.

Tolka Rovers after many seasons in the national and super league are in transition and are rebuilding with a young squad at present and former Cork coach Kieran O’Leary is eagerly anticipating a good Kerry Dublin contest with home advantage he is homing will prove decisive to his teams chances.

The game tips of at 5.30pm at Tolka Sports Complex. KEANES SuperValu Killorglin progressed to the quarter-finals of the Basketball Ireland Presidents Cup after recording a three-point win over defending champions Maree in a hard fought encounter last Saturday in Oranmore, Galway, with Maree registering their first defeat at home in over two years.

The first quarter was very much even with teams going basket for basket through the quarter. A three-pointer from Kev Grey edged Killorglin 14-11 ahead briefly but Maree replied and the quarter finished with the teams on 17 points each.

Killorglin settled with early baskets from Seamus Brosnan, Declan Wall and Garni Garcia, but with just under seven minutes left in the half the teams were level with 24 points each. Maree edged slightly ahead with two scores before Grey drained a three-pointer to keep Killorglin in touch.

Maree went ahead 31-27 but Garni added five unanswered points to regain the lead for the visitors. Baskets were traded again for the final three minutes but finished Maree slightly ahead 44-42 at the interval.

Maree were first off the mark in the third quarter, and continued to extend their lead after four minutes to lead 55-46. Maree added six more points in the next three minutes and were ahead by 10 with under three minutes left in the third but with Grey hitting seven points for Killorglin, Maree’s lead was cut to 61-55 going into the final

Next weekend National League continues and Keanes Supervalu travel to Portarlington to take on Kestrels 6pm

The next round of Basketball Ireland Hula Hoops President’s Cup is the quarter-final on December 3 where Keanes Supervalu meet Team Kilkenny in The Watershed Kilkenny.

On Sunday, December 4 the club’s Under-18 men host Templeogue in Killorglin Sports Complex in the U-18 Cup quarter-finals; time to be confirmed.