Three clubs join women's title chase

BASKETBALL: Tomorrow's start to the club season sees the women's Superleague significantly increased from six to nine teams. Drimnagh Dynamos and Killarney St Paul's have stepped up from Division One, and, with new entrants Tipperary Talons also on board, this season's title chase will be the most competitive in several years.

Defending women's champions Tolka Rovers have a new coach in David Biggins as Maeve Coleman concentrates on the Irish Cadette squad this season. The Wildcats have lost the services of former captain Christine Kiely and Michelle Maguire, so only Olivia O'Reilly and Catriona White remain from the triumphant squad of two years ago.

On the men's side, there are warm-up tournaments in St Vincent's and Neptune this weekend before the Superleague tips off next weekend. With the departure of Sligo and Tyrone, only 12 teams will contest this season's competition.

Waterford will look to retain their league title without Foreign Player of the Year James Singleton, who has signed with UCC Demons. Old rivals Neptune appear to have their strongest squad in many years with Stephen McCarthy and Gordon Fitzgerald back on board. Charron Watson and Kenny Gamble are also re-signed, along with David Langrell who played one game with the Cork team last season.

Tralee will be forced to play most of the season without Rikardo Leonard, who is recovering from a recent operation on his Achilles tendon, while Anthony Jenkins is still awaiting confirmation of his Irish citizenship, which would make room for another American in the Notre Dame squad.

St Vincent's have the four Donnelly brothers in the squad, with the return of Emmett after his three-year scholarship in the US. Dermot and Peder Madsen will also line out this season; junior international Dermot has stepped up from the under-19 team while Peder has returned from a four-year scholarship in Teikyo Post.

On the international circuit, the Irish senior men are back in action against Germany on November 20th for the second leg of their European Championships semi-final round and will warm up in a home friendly against England.

As part of yesterday's launch, the Irish Basketball Association made the draw for the first rounds of the ESB National Cup, with men's holders Limerick getting a difficult start against Dublin club the Saints.

NATIONAL CUP - First round draw (October 19th/20th): Men - Killester v Moycullen; UCD Marian v Killarney; Saints v Limerick; Waterford v Queen's; Tralee v Notre Dame; Neptune v Star; UCC Demons v Ballina; Westaro v Tolka Rovers; Women - Coolock bye; Drimnagh v Killester; Wildcats v Sligo; St Paul's bye; Limerick v Meteors; Longford v Glanmire; Tolka Rovers v Firhouse; Tipperary bye.

FIXTURES

Women's Superleague - tomorrow: Killester v Glanmire (6.0); Sasha Meteors v Drimnagh (6.45), St Paul's v Wildcats (7.30); Tipperary v Tolka Rovers (8.30).