BASKETBALL WEEKEND PREVIEW:DCU SAINTS will have to create another heroic display if they are to end Killester's treble bid, while reigning Nivea For Men's SuperLeague champions UCC Demons face a difficult semi-final away to UL Eagles.

DCU Saints reached the last four after a surprising 96-84 win away to Neptune and their head coach, Vinny O’Keefe, knows an ever greater effort will be required to see off the National Cup champions in their own backyard.

“We beat them unexpectedly two weeks ago but they will be a different proposition this weekend,” O’Keefe said.

Killester are favorites to add the league to the cup they won this season and head coach Mark Keenan believes it’s the Irish players who will play a big part this weekend. “The Irish players will be the key to this game,” said Keenan. “Mike Trimmer has been playing well for DCU Saints so him and Jermaine (Turner) will cancel each other out and it will come down to the contribution from the Irish guys.”

Elsewhere, UCC Demons’ defence of the title will come under serious threat away to a vastly-improved UL Eagles.

The Eagles have enjoyed a perfect record over Demons to date this season with wins recorded in December (81-73) before completing the double in January with a 91-83 success. “Demons had a great away quarter-final win in Belfast on Sunday,” said Eagles head coach Tony Hehir. “They are a very experienced team and our league games to-date have come down to the wire.”

Meanwhile, in the semi-finals of the IrishSport.TV Women’s Superleague, regular season champions Team Montenotte Hotel Cork host Killester, while DCU Mercy and UL clash in DCU on Sunday.

Team Montenotte claimed the title last season in impressive fashion but face a tricky Killester outfit, who have made a massive improvement this season, earning eight wins, seven better than last term. However, the stats don’t make pretty reading for the Dubliners, with their previous meetings with Montenotte this season resulting in two heavy defeats.