BASKETBALL Round-up: The scramble for the play-off slots gets more frenetic this weekend when teams just outside the qualification zone in both conferences meet those marginally inside.
UCD travel to Ballina on Saturday night two points adrift of Sean McHale's men. The Mayo club are without Paul Barrett but, cometh the hour, cometh the man with the stamina of an ox.
After shaking off a hamstring strain, the multi-talented Ronan McGarrity will again combine basketball and football duties in the space of 18 hours.
Home advantage and the general euphoria in the town at present from the success on the football front, with Ballina one game away from their first All-Ireland club final in six years, could spark the required reaction from the basketball faction.
However, UCD make up a game in hand on Sunday when they face Shamrock Rovers Hoops at the national arena.
Killester should still cling on to second place, as the fixture list throws them a kind tie at home to Star of the Sea.
St Vincent's are expected to stretch their legs at the top of the north conference, and thus grab a direct route to the semi-finals, with victory over the Hoops.
Neptune go to Limerick on Saturday with the winner set to break the deadlock between third and fourth in the southern conference.
The Cork club's new recruit, Mark Green, is expected to make the vital difference.
The Tralee Tigers have a six-point cushion back to the UCC Demons, who incidentally host this year's league finals.
The Demons should go further to securing second place with a Sunday fixture against the Killarney Lakers at the Mardyke.
In the Women's Superleague, UL Aughinish travel to Mercy Coolock on Saturday night.
The Waterford Wildcats face St Paul's, while Glanmire play cup champions Killester at home. On Sunday, Drimnagh take on the Meteors.
FIXTURES
MEN'S SUPERLEAGUE - Tonight: Shamrock Rovers Hoops v St Vincent's, National Arena, 8.30. Saturday: Limerick v Neptune, UL Arena, 7.30; Killester v Star of the Sea, IWA, 8.00; Waterford v Tralee Tigers, Waterford IT, 7.30; Ballina v UCD, Ballina SC, 8.00. Sunday: UCC Demons v Killarney Lakers, Mardyke Arena, 3.15; Shamrock Rovers Hoops v UCD, National Arena, 8.30.
WOMEN'S SUPERLEAGUE - Saturday: Coolock v UL Aughinish, Mercy Beaumont, 6.30; Glanmire v Killester, Littleisland, 7.30; Waterford Wildcats v St Paul's Mercy, Waterford, 7.30. Sunday: Drimnagh v Meteors, Oblate Hall, 3.30
