Killester have mountain to climb in Demons clash in Men’s National Cup

This weekend will be the busiest of the season for knockout basketball as the opening rounds of the Men’s and Women’s National Cups come to a conclusion.

The average points gap heading into the second leg of the Men's National Cup is 13 points, but Killester have the highest mountain to climb in giving C&S UCC Demons a 25-point head start in their second leg decider. Killester have averaged just 64 points a game since the first leg but Lehmon Colbert knows not to write off the orange and black.

“If we want to win trophies this season, we have to be willing to go through Killester,” said the Demons’ forward.

“Eighteen points is nothing,” says UCD head coach Ioannis Liapakis and that’s the head start he brings to Cork for his side’s second leg with BFG Neptune.

Wary

Dublin Inter face a carbon copy of last year when they bring a UL Eagles side with an uneasy lead back to Clonsilla. Travelodge Swords Thunder will be quietly confident of overturning a 10-point deficit at the ALSAA sports complex but will have to be wary of Belfast Star’s Ricky Taylor, who hit a career-high 42 points last week.

Templeogue are the only team bar Demons to have home advantage and an aggregate lead heading into this weekend.

The Women’s National Cup jumps back into action on Friday night with a Cork derby. Team Montenotte Hotel came away from the Parochial Hall in the first leg with a 26-point cushion and the confidence to seal the deal against Singleton SuperValu Brunell.

Lindsay Peat has the recent experience of the 2014 All-Ireland Ladies’ Football final to remind her of the pitfalls of any lapse in concentration. Her DCU Mercy side have a 40-point lead against Meteors.

The first leg of Killester versus Courtyard Liffey Celtics served up traditional Cup drama with a unique twist.

The game stands at 76-76 following a rousing comeback from Celtics.

National Cup fixtures:

Friday: Women’s National Cup 2014-15 (Quarter Final 2nd Leg): Team Montenotte Hotel v Singleton’s SuperValu Brunell, 8.0pm. Saturday: Men’s National Cup 2014-15 (Round One 2nd Leg): C&S UCC Demons v Killester, 3.15; Dublin Inter v UL Eagles, 6.0; BFG Neptune v UCD Marian, 7.0; Templeogue v DCU Saints, 7.0; Travelodge Swords Thunder v Belfast Star, 7.0. Women’s National Cup 2014-15 (Quarter Final 2nd Leg): Meteors v DCU Mercy, 4.0; Killester v Courtyard Liffey Celtics, 6.0; Maxol WIT Wildcats v UL Huskies, 7.0.