Tough National Cup draws for both Portlaoise Panthers teams

BOTH Portlaoise Panthers Women’s Super League team head coach, Keith Conroy and the club’s Men’s Division One team boss, Jack Scully have underscored their desire to see their teams make a serious push for National Cup success this season.

The two sides were handed tough opening-round assignments in last week’s draw, with Midland Park Portlaoise women set to welcome Trinity Meteors to St Mary’s Hall for their curtain raiser to the Paudie O’Connor National Cup, while ND Audit Portlaoise men are on the road to Maigh Cuilinn for their first round fixture in the President’s National Cup, both games to be played on the first weekend of November.

The Portlaoise women made a stunning start to their Super League campaign on Sunday, downing National Cup holders, Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell 90-71 in St. Mary’s Hall.

And Conroy will be hoping they can carry that same energy and ruthlessness into their upcoming cup encounter with a Trinity side were, themselves edged out 84-82 by The Address UCC Glanmire in their respective league opener at the weekend.

“We know Trinity Meteors are a very good team and well-coached team with Hillary Nets’ there, and they’ve some really good players like Sarah Kenny, an Irish international, and their American post player, Emma Merriweather,” said Conroy.

“They’re a strong team and they played a really close game against Glanmire last weekend, only losing out by two points, so we know we have a tough battle ahead, but the biggest thing for us with the cup draw is getting a home game. We’ve got that now, and that’s massive “St. Mary’s is a great place to play and the crowd are like our sixth player, so having that advantage is a huge help.

“We know it won’t be an easy game, but we’ll be ready for it. This is something we’ve definitely targeted, so we’re looking forward to it now.

“The first weekend of November, the girls will be really up for it. Everyone loves a cup run and to have a home court game is massive and we really hope we can take advantage of that,” he told the *****Laois Nationalist******.

Victory over Trinity Meteors next month would see Portlaoise earn another home tie in the quarter finals against newly-promoted Utility Trust St. Paul’s on the weekend of 7/8 December.

And confidence is understandably high amongst Conroy’s squad, which has been bolstered in the off-season with the arrival of four big signings in Amy Dooley, Lynn Tunnah, Ciara Byrne and American, Hailey Jordan, all of whom played a huge part in Sunday’s victory, alongside Alyssa Velles, who finished top-scorer on 28 points.

Likewise, the Portlaoise men have also been serious strengthened over the summer with seven additions, including new American, Eric Anderson who emerged their highest scorer on 24 points, as they put Joels Dublin Lions to the sword, 81-49 in their National League start on Saturday.

The arrival of former SETU Carlow stars, Xabi Arriaga and Kevin Donohoe, together with Serbian shooting guard, Aleksandar Kovacevic, as well as the return of James Phelan and Gary Morrissey to their line-up, have made Portlaoise a serious force in Division One.

Head coach, Scully believes his side has the potential to put together a strong President’s Cup run, but acknowledges the serious hurdle they face early on against a Maigh Cuilinn outfit that was relegated from the top ranks of Irish men’s basketball last season.

“We have been given a tough draw” he told The Laois Nationalist. “Moycullen are back in the National League after a long time in Super League. They have quality pros and a good coach and I expect them to be well organised.

“But, again, I feel if we play to our potential, we are capable of winning. A cup run is something we have identified as a goal for this season and if we want to win it, we need to beat whomever we play. There are no second chances in the cup,” he said.

Should they manage to despatch Maigh Cuilinn from the opening round, Portlaoise will then travel to the winners of the Killarney Cougars v Drogheda Wolves clash for a quarter-final meeting on the weekend of 7/8 December.