Kildare's FloMAX Liffey Celtics look to maintain unbeaten start

Belfast Star and FloMAX Liffey Celtics will put their unbeaten records on the line this weekend in the InsureMyVan.ie Super League and MissQuote.ie Super League.

Belfast Star have a home fixture against Energywise Ireland Neptune, who last week appointed Paul Kelleher as their new head coach. It’s a second stint in charge of the club for Kelleher, he also led the side between 2016 and 2018. He's eager to register his first win since taking over from Colin O’Reilly, having overseen last weekend’s 93-83 home defeat to Garvey’s Tralee Warriors.

“It's been a whirlwind week if I'm honest. It's been very active and one that wasn't expected. I never thought a return to Super League would be like this. But we are here now and I'd like to have fun with this. Obviously, not the easiest return with a double-winning club in your first and the champions elect on the road in the second game, but again it's where we are.”

“Adrian Fulton has done an amazing job at Star - what he has built the last 3/4 years in terms of Irish players and recruitment of players. That makes this weekend very, very tough for us, especially in Belfast. I'm excited, but also very nervous, but looking forward and seeing what we can try to achieve this year”, Kelleher said.

His counterpart, Fulton, knows his team will have a target on their back, as the last remaining unbeaten side in the league.  

“Paul is a very experienced coach and I'm sure the players will want to show him how good they are. But as with every other game so far this year, we prepare as well as we can and just try to focus on improving certain aspects of our play every week. As regards being undefeated, there are too many good teams in the league for that to be the case come April. Every team playing us, including Neptune, will want to be the team to inflict a first defeat on us, which is totally understandable”, Fulton stated.

Maree sit top of the South Conference following last weekend’s win over Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU and it’s a local derby up next for Charlie Crowley’s outfit on Sunday.

“We have a tough game this weekend again. We’ll need to improve on last week’s performance if we want to hang around until the 4th quarter.” Crowley stated.

Moycullen supremo John Cunningham is keen to build on a positive performance against Pryobel Killester last time out.

“We’ve had a number of games so far where we’ve played well for long periods and then the ‘wheels come off’ for a short period and the game is lost. Sunday was probably the first one where we managed the bad spells reasonably well and that was reflected in the result. Maree are very good at putting distance between them and their opponents in short bursts of scoring, so we’ll need a similar level of concentration to last weekend to have a chance”, Cunningham said.

UCC Demons and Garvey’s Tralee Warriors kickstart the weekend’s action on Friday night. On Saturday defending champions Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU host Flexachem KCYMS, as they aim to keep the pressure up on South Conference leaders Maree. There’s a Dublin derby, as Griffith College Éanna host a Bright St. Vincent’s side looking for back-to-back wins, having got off the mark last weekend. Templeogue host EJ Sligo All-Stars and Pyrobel Killester face Ulster University at the IWA.

FloMAX Liffey Celtics head coach Karl Kilbride has labelled Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell as “big favourites”, ahead of Sunday’s eagerly anticipated MissQuote.ie Super League contest.

Rachel Huijsdens remains out with a calf injury, while Kelly Bracken is also absent once more for FloMAX Liffey Celtics.

“Brunell have been in scintillating form to start the season, the only game they’ve lost has been without Edel (Thornton). So we know we’ll be going into the game as big underdogs”, Kilbride said.

“While Brunell are obviously big favourites going into the game, we’re playing with great confidence at the moment and know that we have the strength in depth to cause any team problems on any given day.”

Gurranabraher Credit Union have had a 6-1 start to the season, but they’ve been off-court for a number of weeks and head coach Liam Culloty is eager to return to action.

“We can't wait to get back on the floor after three free weekends in a row. We have trained really hard over that time, but nothing replicates games for sharpness. Liffey (Celtics) will provide a very stern test and are the only unbeaten team left in the league, so we know we have to be at our very best to get a result.”

Saturday sees SETU Waterford Wildcats host Portlaoise Panthers, as they look to build on their emphatic 80-48 away win at DCU Mercy last weekend and maintain the pressure on the top three sides.

Speaking ahead of the game, head coach Tommy O’Mahony said: "This weekend we expect a tough encounter against Portlaoise (Panthers). They have been quite unlucky with some of their results, having put in solid performances. We know we will need to be put on top of our game or else we could be wrong side of the result. We had a good second half performance last weekend and we need to build on this to get a complete performance."

There’s a Dublin derby between Trinity Meteors and DCU Mercy, defending MissQuote.ie Super League champions The Address UCC Glanmire travel to Ulster University, while it’s a weekend off for Pyrobel Killester.

Fixtures

MissQuote.ie Super League

Saturday November 25

University of Galway Mystics vs Catalyst Fr. Mathews, Kingfisher Sports Arena, 1600

SETU Waterford Wildcats vs Portlaoise Panthers, Mercy Gym, 1700

Ulster University vs The Address UCC Glanmire, Jordanstown Sports Village, 1715

Trinity Meteors vs DCU Mercy, Trinity College, 1730

Sunday November 26

Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell vs FloMAX Liffey Celtics, Gurranabraher Credit Union Arena, 1445

InsureMyVan.ie Super League

Friday November 24

UCC Demons vs Garvey's Tralee Warriors, Mardyke Arena, 1930

Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU vs Flexachem KCYMS, MTU Arena, 1600

Pyrobel Killester vs Ulster University, IWA, 1800

Belfast Star vs Energywise Ireland Neptune, De la Salle College, 1830

Griffith College Éanna vs Bright St. Vincent's, Coláiste Éanna, 1900

Templeogue vs EJ Sligo All Stars, Nord Anglia International School, 1930

Maigh Cuilinn vs Maree, Kingfisher Sports Arena, 1500

MissQuote.ie Division One

McEvoy's Cavan Eagles vs Limerick Celtics, Virginia Show Centre, 1700

Templeogue vs St. Paul's Killarney, Nord Anglia International School, 1700

iSecure Swords Thunder vs Moy Tolka Rovers, ALSAA, 1730

Marble City Hawks vs Oblate Dynamoes, O'Loughlin Gaels GAA Club, 1900

Abbey Seals Dublin Lions vs SETU Carlow, Coláiste Bríde, 1600

InsureMyVan.ie Division One

Team Northwest vs SETU Carlow, ATU, 1700

Moy Tolka Rovers vs SETU Waterford Vikings, Tolka Rovers Sports Complex, 1800

Killarney Cougars vs UCD Marian, Presentation Gym, 1900

Kavanagh's Portlaoise Panthers vs Limerick Sport Eagles, St. Mary's Hall, 1900

Drogheda Wolves vs Titans BC, Ballymakenny College, 1930

Limerick Celtics vs Mater Private Malahide, Crescent College, 1515