The new domestic Basketball season gets underway next month with reigning InsureMyVan.ie Super League champions Garvey’s Tralee Warriors beginning the defence of their title with a difficult local derby at home against Flexachem KCYMS on Saturday, October 1st.
Head coach John Dowling is looking forward to getting back on the court: “We are delighted to have our first game at home as champions. It’s important to celebrate these achievements when they happen and we’re expecting a capacity crowd for this local derby. We’re excited for our fans to see our new recruits, both professional and young local players. The team and club are aware that if we are to be successful again this year it’s going to be harder. The league is stronger than ever and we have a target on our back, but our guys love to compete, so we can’t wait to get started.”
The strength of the sport in Munster is evidenced by 2021/22 InsureMyVan.ie Super League and InsureMyHouse.ie National Cup finalists Neptune also facing a derby day straight off the bat, welcoming newly promoted InsureMyVan.ie Division One champions UCC Demons to Neptune Stadium.
The MissQuote.ie Women’s Super League gets underway on the same afternoon. Holders The Address UCC Glanmire will also have home comforts to aid them. Killester are the opposition for Mark Scannell’s team. Last season’s MissQuote.ie Super League coach of the year added: “To say we are excited to get the season started would be an understatement. The addition of basketballireland.tv and live game tracking through the Swish app is going to be huge for the league and for the players.”
Plenty of envious eyes will be on Trinity Meteors and new coach Niall Berry, as he pairs Ireland senior women’s internationals Claire Melia and Dayna Finn together for the year ahead. Finn will come up against a familiar face on opening day – her sister Hazel Finn lines out for their opposition NUIG Mystics, who were promoted as MissQuote.ie Division One champions.
The headline news in MissQuote.ie Division One is the addition of five fresh faces for the upcoming season. Two teams will play at this level for the first time. McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles welcome SETU Carlow to Virginia on Sunday October 2nd, while Abbey Seals Dublin Lions will have to wait to begin their charge. They travel to another new entrant, Moy Tolka Rovers in round two on Saturday, October 8th.
The aforementioned Moy Tolka Rovers will be battled hardened by then, they open up on the road against Griffith College Templeogue. The remaining returning teams are St. Paul’s Killarney, who play Marble City Hawks to start the season and Oblate Dynamos, who host a Dublin derby with Swords Thunder.
The most competitive National League this season could be InsureMyVan.ie Division One, as the majority of the 14 teams will believe they can challenge for honours in the upcoming campaign. SETU Carlow’s meeting with Killarney Cougars will get the league underway on Saturday October 1st. Later that evening, Dwyers of Cork Fr. Matthews play Limerick Celtics in a clash which produced an excellent game of basketball last season and the first day of fixtures is rounded off by the meeting of Scotts Lakers SPK and Limerick Sport Eagles.
It promises to be a vibrant season with the leagues having suffered more than most through the restrictions on indoor sport and attendance that had been imposed through the Covid period.
