Sport

DCU set for showdown as Mercy welcome Courtyard Liffey Celtics

Competition is really hotting up in the women’s Super League

Courtyard Liffey Celtics coach Mark Byrne with DCU Mercy Celtics’ Jazmen Boone. Photograph: Tommy Dickson/Inpho

Mary McGuire
Thu Oct 26 2017 - 20:31

This weekend’s bank holiday brings with it an extremely busy schedule of fixtures across the national leagues with a number of double-headers over the three days.

In the women's Super League, the competition is really heating up, with one of the big battles of the weekend tipping off in DCU on Sunday when DCU Mercy welcomes Courtyard Liffey Celtics. The sides know each other inside-out, having met four times last year and in pre-season this year, so it's set to be an unmissable game with both sides boasting a who's who of international players.

Liffey Celtics head coach Mark Byrne was looking forward to the game: "DCU are going to be tough. It's a bit of a cliche but I don't think there are many easy games in the league this year, and knowing Mark Ingle, they will be ready. We played them in pre-season and it was tight. We know we're in for a tough one. If we play like we played in the second half against Brunell, though, we'll hopefully give a good account of ourselves."

Meanwhile, Ambassador UCC Glanmire welcome Portlaoise Panthers to the Mardyke Arena in Cork on Sunday in what is set to be a tough fifth-game test for the midlanders, who are chasing their first win. Pyrobel Killester will be hoping they can do enough to overcome IT Carlow Basketball at the IWA in Clontarf on Saturday evening, while NUIG Mystics are on the road to face Maxol WIT Wildcats.

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Men’s league

It’s an even busier weekend in the men’s Super League, meanwhile, with a double-header round of games for a number of teams. DCU Saints will be hoping they can continue their winning form from last weekend, which saw them knock Hula Hoops National Cup champions Griffith College Swords Thunder out of this year’s cup competition with a 75-70 point win. Swords will be hoping to avenge that result this weekend when the two sides go head to head again this coming weekend in the Super League.

It’s a busy weekend for both teams, as DCU Saints will also face off against UCD Marian, who will be hoping to bounce back after their unbeaten run came to an end last weekend with a tough loss against Pyrobel Killester, while Swords will face off to Maree in their second game of the weekend.

Clontarf will play host to a big Super League battle between Pyrobel Killester and Garvey’s Tralee Warriors on Saturday evening in what is expected to be a thriller, while Tralee will then welcome Éanna to the Sports Complex on bank holiday Monday. Elsewhere, Black Amber Templeogue will play KUBS and Maree over the weekend, before KUBS take to the road to face Moycullen, while it’s set to be a nail-biter in Belfast as hosts Belfast Star welcome UCC Demons.

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