BASKETBALL / Round-up: St Vincent's can complete a remarkable recovery from their disappointing cup final display by clinching top spot in the northern conference this weekend. All they have to do is put the third and fourth placed teams to the sword.
When the Tralee Tigers upped the ante in that cup final last month, Dublin's main contenders appeared to wilt under their Kerry foes' intensity.
Since, though, players like Paul Tonkavitch, Peter Madsen and Mike Trimmer have fronted up and along with the Donnelly brothers are poised for a guaranteed route to the league semi-finals.
Tomorrow is the main challenge as they travel to Belfield to take on UCD. The students are on a roll at present with five from six wins. On the two previous occasions they have met this year the north Dublin club have prevailed.
On Sunday, St Vincent's must travel to Mayo to face Ballina. Seán McHale's team lie fourth, two points adrift of UCD, but home advantage this weekend may give them a vital edge.
As things stand they are out of the play-offs. They welcome injury-ravaged Neptune on Saturday.
The Cork club also lost inspirational American Mark Green this week after he travelled home due to a family illness.
UCD's second match is against struggling Star of the Sea. The Belfast club's season is practically over and they are missing Adrian Fulton.
The southern conference is more clear cut after Tralee secured the title on Wednesday; made all the sweeter by overcoming the Killarney Lakers in the process.
They must travel to Limerick on Saturday; a bonus for the play-off hopefuls as the Tigers may rest some vital players. Limerick beat Neptune last week in what appears to be the pivotal battle for the third place slot. The UCC Demons can secure second place by winning away to Waterford.
In the woman's Superleague, the road to Cork is more or less sorted out but the bottom two clubs can still qualify as the sixth place team.
Drimnagh, play UL Aughinish and presuming they will falter, St Paul's and Meteors meet with the victor likely to make the play-offs in Cork.
Glanmire play Coolock with the winner there going third.
The way the play-offs work see third play sixth and fourth play fifth with the top two teams waiting in the semi-finals. These are cup finalists UL and Killester, with the latter going for a double.
MEN'S SUPERLEAGUE, Saturday: Limerick v Tralee Tigers, UL Arena, 7.30; UCD v St Vincent's, UCD SC, 7.30; Waterford v UCC Demons, Waterford IT, 7.30; Ballina v Neptune, Ballina SC, 8.00; Star of the Sea v Shamrock Rovers Hoops, Jordanstown, 7.15. Sunday: Ballina v St. Vincent's, Ballina SC, 5.00; UCD v Star of the Sea, Belfield, 6.30. WOMEN'S SUPERLEAGUE, Saturday: Mercy Coolock v Glanmire, Mercy Beaumont, 6.30; Meteors v St Paul's, Naomh Olafs, 6.45. Sunday: Drimnagh v UL Aughinish, Oblate Hall, 3.30; Killester v Wildcats, IWA, 3.30.
