THE SHOWPIECE WEEKEND in the Irish basketball calendar started with an upset as the National Cup champions UCC Demons suffered defeat to GCD Swords Thunder.
In a repeat of last year’s semi-final, the Dublin side led from the outset and eventually recorded a 103-82 win to progress to Sunday’s final.
Swords produced an impressive performance to stun the large home crowd at the Mardyke Arena in Cork.
They will face either Pyrobel Killester or Templeogue BC, who go head-to-head tomorrow afternoon, in the decider.
Also on Saturday, the Women’s National Cup takes centre stage with back-to-back semi-finals from 6pm.
In total, 20 games in 10 different competitions will be played over the weekend with the Mardyke, Neptune Stadium and the Parochial Hall all hosting fixtures.
You can watch a live stream of the action from the Mardyke Arena here.
Hula Hoops National Cup fixtures, Saturday 9 January:
- Maxol WIT Wildcats v Pyrobel Killester, 6pm
- Team Montenotte Hotel v Meteors BC, 8pm
- Pyrobel Killester v Templeogue BC, 4pm
- C&S Blue Demons v Pyrobel Killester, Neptune Stadium, 2pm
- Fr Mathews v Maree BC, Neptune Stadium, 4pm
- Liffey Celtics v Killester, Parochial Hall, Cork, 12pm
- Maree BC v BFG Neptune, Neptune Stadium, Cork, 10am
- Tolka Rovers v Moycullen BC, Neptune Stadium, Cork, 12pm
- Brunell BC v Portlaoise Panthers BC, Parochial Hall, Cork, 10am
- DCU Mercy v Fr Mathews, Parochial Hall, Cork, 2pm
