Age

recognition and there seems to be a conveyor belt of fresh talent coming through each year.

Bullets coach Coleman admitted it would take time for Drogheda Wolves to establish themselves in the National League - should they be admitted - but the aim of the merger was to create a pathway for young players to continue playing in their home town.

‘There’s an Under-14 North East Academy with eight of our players in it, and another eight in the Under-15 Academy, so there is potential, but there has to be something for them [in Drogheda] or we will lose them to the Dublin clubs,’ she pointed out.

‘The men’s team are in the NICC Cup semi-finals this Saturday [they play Leixlip Zalgiris at the Mardyke Arena in Cork at 2pm] and they needed to be successful in that competition to see our potential to be in the National League.

‘It will be a learning curve and they will have to learn to play at that level. The aim will be to get a couple of wins in the first year and get better from there.

‘It would be brilliant for the town. People don’t realise there’s basketball here, but we had 150 there in the Joeys for the Cup quarter-final and the place was buzzing.’ Division 1 Division 2 Division 3

Sparks’ Under-16A team continue to set the North East League alight with some great performances. Back (l to r) Karen Lynch (assistant coach) Abby Rice, Ava Briscoe, Nikola Busa, Ava Prendergast (captain), Ellie Riggs, Gar Mac Criosta (coach); Front (l to r) Ome Elajabor, Gretta McEvoy, Zoe Gardiner and Ava Russell.