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It all comes down to two Cork versus Limerick finales after thrilling weekend

BASKETBALL: After an excellent cup semi-final weekend at the Neptune Stadium in Cork, the fixture list for cup final weekend…

Mon Jan 14 2013 - 00:00

BASKETBALL:After an excellent cup semi-final weekend at the Neptune Stadium in Cork, the fixture list for cup final weekend in Dublin from January 25th-27th has been set.

Bord Gáis Neptune in the men’s and Team Montenotte Hotel Cork in the women’s will be joined in the finals by the two UL teams, UL Eagles in the men’s and UL Huskies in the women’s, who, for a second straight year, will aim for a rare club cup double.

“It is going to be mental,” Team Montenotte coach Andrea Congreaves observed.

For his part, Bord Gais Neptune coach Mark Scannell noted: “The next two weeks there will be a great buzz around the club and we are all looking forward to that.”

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“Relieved and drained” was how Mark Keenan head coach of UL Eagles described his emotions after surviving a tough semi-final against UCD Marian.

Huskies head coach James Weldon is hopeful the experience his players have will be a telling factor come the final against Team Montenotte.

“It will be pretty routine for us, we won’t be doing too much out of the ordinary from what we did last year.”

“We have a few players that are 30, 31 or 32 and they know that you only get so many opportunities in life and we’ll have to be ready to take ours.”

Regardless of how each team views the build-up, one reality is constant and common to all, everybody wants to win the cup.

“We want that cup and we want it bad, these guys are so hungry for it. Since I have come here this is all we have talked about,” said Congreaves.

2013 National Cup Finals

(All games will take place in the National Basketball Arena, Tallaght)

Friday, January 25th

Women’s SuperLeague NC Final – UL Huskies (Limerick) v Team Montenotte Hotel Cork, 6.45pm.

Mens SuperLeague NC Final – UL Eagles (Limerick) v Bord Gáis Neptune (Cork), 8.45pm.

Saturday, January 26th

Under-18 Women’s NC Final – Glanmire (Cork) v Brunell (Cork), 10am.

Under-18 Men’s NC Final – Belfast Star (Antrim) v Moycullen (Galway), noon.

Senior Women’s NC Final – Tralee Imperials (Kerry) v Oblate Dynamos (Dublin), 2pm. Senior Men’s NC Final – Blue Demons (Cork) v Team Garvey’s St Marys (Kerry), 4pm.

Sunday, January 27th

Under-20 Women’s NC Final – Killester (Dublin) v Brunell (Cork), 10am.

Under-20 Men’s NC Final – Templeogue Azzurri (Dublin) v Killester (Dublin), noon.