Under-11 Academy Cups dominate the domestic scene

Padraig Harnett

THE Tralee Sports Complex was rocking this week with the Kerry Airport Kerry Area Basketball Board Boys and Girls Academy Cups.

The day started with the Girls quarter finals and here Cougars defeated St Coleman’s 30-10 and Tralee Imperials saw off Gneeveguilla 35-12.

This set up the semi-finals where Killarney Cougars kept their run going defeating St Brendan’s 26-14. In this game Cougars Jessica Leggate, Leah O’Sullivan, Roisin Beazley and Faye Lynch impressed while for St Brendan’s Molly Casey, Ella

O’Shea and Avril Doyle had good games.

The second semi-final saw Tralee Imperials defeating St Annes 26-12. So the Girls Academy final in the Complex on February 2 will be a Tralee / Killarney clash with Imperials taking on Cougars.

The girl’s games were followed by the Boys with the four quarter finals seeing the following results: St Brendan’s Green 38-20 St Pauls, St Annes 30-22 St Colmans, TK Bobcats 17-13 Killarney Cougars and St Brendan’s White getting the better of Gneeveguilla 22-16.

The semi-finals ended with St Brendan’s Green winning 30-20 over St Anne’s and TK Bobcats winning 19-14 over St Brendan’s

White therefore leaving the final on February 2nd between St Brendan’s Green and TK Bobcats.

WOMEN’S LEAGUE

It has been a busy week in the Senior Ladies section of the KABB with some important League games played. In Division 1 St Joseph’s defeated Glenbeigh Falcons 56-50 while in Division 2 it was the visitors who took the win in the Rathmore Gym with St Mary’s defeating Gneeveguilla. In the Women’s Division 3 Pool B game Horan’s Health Stores were 51-38 winners over St Annes in Farranfore.

Looking at these League tables and in Division 1 the win by St Joseph’s has seen them close the gap on leaders Falcons to three points and the Saints also have a game in hand.

St Mary’s are now tied with St Bridgets at the top of the Women’s Division 2 with both sides on 5 wins from their 5 games.

The win by Horan’s Health Stores in Division 3 Pool 2 means they have yet to drop a point after 4 games and have a 4 point gap at the top of that table.

MEN’S LEAGUE

In the Men’s Division 2 Pool B TK Killarney Cougars were big winners over TK Vixens in the Pres Gym in Killarney. Cougars were now in third place just three behind joint leaders Gneeveguilla and St Joseph’s.

There was one game in the Cup with KCYMS defeating Team Kerry 65-49 in the U-18 Boys Division 1 Cup. KCYMS will now meet either St Brendan’s or Tralee Imperials in the Cup final.

In the U-18 Boys Division 2 Plate Rathmore put up a big score in their win over St Colman’s and will now meet St Bridget’s in the Plate semi-final.

UNDERAGE SECTION

In the U-16 Girls Division 3 League Rathmore went down at home 48-60 to TK Vixens in the opening game of this competition.

Caherciveen made the trip to Farranfore a winning one in the U-14 Girls Division 2 League defeating St Annes. This sees the South Kerry side level at the top of the table with TK Cobras and St Joseph’s in the early stage of this Division.

In the U-12 Girls Division 3 League Glenbeigh Falcons took the win at home to St Mary’s 20-14. This was their opening game of this division and they join Rathmore at the top as they also won their opening game.

In Boys games Glenbeigh Falcons won a tight home encounter when they defeated Ballybunion Wildcats 38-30 to win the first game in the u12 Boys Division 3 League.

St Mary’s won 63-51 away to St Josephs in Duagh as the Boys U-16 Division 2 League gets underway.