Preview: Enda Walshe
A pivotal weekend in the race for the women’s basketball play-offs lies ahead with St Paul’s facing into a double header of fixtures.
The Northern Conference has an intriguing race for the second spot as the McEvoy Cavan Eagles are assured of their spot with an unassailable lead at the top. But beneath them the Phoenix Rockets and Moy Tolka Rovers are neck and neck for the second spot. The Dublin side has, on paper at least, a winnable fixture with Limerick Sport Huskies the visitors. That intensifies the pressure on Phoenix Rockets who welcome St Paul’s – on an eight game winning run – to Lisburn.
St Paul’s sit top of the Southern Conference with a three game advantage over third place Limerick Celtic and with only five games to play in the regular season, simple maths confirms that three wins will guarantee them the play-offs. Portlaoise
Panthers are still in hot pursuit of Paul’s for the top spot in the Conference and James Fleming’s side will be keen not only to qualify for the play-offs but to do so as Conference leaders.
A Saturday afternoon tip-off in Lisburn is the challenge for St Paul’s and facing a side in contention certainly guarantees a battle is in hand. They will be powered by imports Jessica Fairweather and Calisha Clark, sisters Charley and Georgie McGrath and the recently returned Fionnuala Toner.
Turning the bus home and making the 450km trek back to their beds for recovery the cobwebs will have to be blown off in time for the 2.00pm tip-off time on Sunday in the Killarney Sports and Leisure Centre.
Facing them will be Oblate Dynamos who, despite the fact that they are the visitors, will have the benefit of a restful Saturday and a shorter journey. In Jennifer Sheehan, Katie Moloney, Megan Aho and Heather Meagher they possess players who won’t be shy for effort either.
Sofia Paska had a quiet game, by her standards, against the Marble City Hawks last weekend and she’ll be looking to get back to her usual scoring return. Yuleska Tejeda gave a full demonstration of her basketball skills hitting 26 points and more of the same will do nicely.
With the Kerryl adies facing Dublin in a crucial National league game on Saturday the availability of Lorraine Scanlon, MVP last weekend, and Siofra O’Shea for Lisburn is under serious doubt for the Pockets game but with a fully functioning squad all winter, there will be no shortage of takers for game minutes.
Lynn Jones should return after missing the Hawks win while Rheanne O’Shea was quietly efficient in that triumph. Denise Dunlea is getting his eye for the basket back after injury, Leah McMahon is soaking up all the experience she can in her first full season of National League basketball.
Jessica Quirke, Aisling Counihan and Cassandra Buckley’s input will all be needed on what is going to be a busy 48 hours of basketball.
If St Paul’s do manage to extend their winning run to 10 games it will be an extremely fulfilling weekend’s work.
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