Saints in form to march on

BASKETBALL: Something about the ESB National Cup usually raises the temperature in Irish basketball, and with eight first-round games set for the weekend there promises to be several hard-fought games.

Defending champions Limerick are assured of a hard day's work on Sunday when they face the Saints, with the home advantage with the Dublin club.

Limerick have struggled in the first weeks of the Superleague suffering two opening losses, and the Saints will definitely start in the better form after last weekend's win over league champions Waterford.

Two other games are set for Sunday, with Neptune at home to Star of the Sea, and the UCC Demons hosting Ballina.

For Ballina the National Cup brings back mostly fond memories but last year's first-round defeat to Tralee was the lowest point in many years. This season the first division club have made a major commitment to the cup, with old stalwarts Deora Marsh and John McHale back in action, along with new additions Chris Doyal and 6ft 9in Texan John Larrimer.

Among the five games to be decided tomorrow evening are current league leaders UCD Marian, who have enjoyed the perfect start to the season with wins over Waterford and Notre Dame. They host Killarney Lakers, and with the Kerry club at the other end of the league table the favourite's tag clearly rests with UCD Marian.

Notre Dame always have high cup ambitions but their opening game against Tralee Tigers is a potential banana skin. The Dublin club are expected to replace the under-performing Alex Harris ahead of the game, and instead are once again likely to rely on player-manager Anthony Jenkins to help see them through.

Four games are set for the first round of the women's cup, with four clubs - Mercy Coolock, St Paul's, Tipperary Talons and the Wildcats - all receiving byes to the quarter-finals. The most competitive tie is sure to be the meeting of the University of Limerick and Meteors, with the students favoured to progress.

NATIONAL CUP (First Round): Tomorrow - UCD Marian v Killarney Lakers, UCD, 7.10; Waterford Crystal v Queens, WIT, 7.30; Killester v Moycullen, IWA, 8.0; Tralee Tigers v Notre Dame, Tralee, 8.0; Westaro Castlebar v Tolka Rovers, DLS, 8.0. Sunday - UCC Demons v Ballina, Mardyke, 3.15; ITP Saints v Limerick, St Vincent's, 3.30; Neptune v Star of the Sea, Neptune, 3.30.

Women's ESB CUP: Tomorrow - Tolka Rovers v Firhouse Notre Dame, Tolka Rovers, 5.30; Drimnagh v Killester, Inchicore, 7.0; University of Limerick v Meteors, UL, 7.0; Longford v Glanmire, Longford, 6.0.