Sport
Cougars to host Lakers in first basketball derby of 2023
by Scotts Lakers PRO Enda Walshe
The first Killarney derby of the season takes place tomorrow (Saturday) at 7.15pm in the Presentation Gym.
The original fixture was postponed back in November as Basketball Ireland had an exceptionally busy weekend of action but a shortage of referees.
Now we face the prospect of the two Killarney sides facing each other twice in a month with the Killarney Sports and Leisure Centre hosting the second instalment on Saturday, January 28.
The Cougars are still searching for their first win of the season but don't let that statistic fool you. If one was to use the recent meetings with Fr Matthews as a yardstick the Cougars got on immeasurably better. They only went down by eight points in that encounter on December 17, on a 83-75 scoreline in the Cork venue.
In Darren Townes they have a Super League winner who has played for two of the top teams in the country: Neptune and Templeogue. The 6'7" New Yorker has averaged 19 points per game and remains a serious threat.
Former Laker Esebio Strijdhaftig will be keen to show his old side what they're missing while the wily Andrew Fitzgerald is enjoying his best season, minutes wise, in quite some time.
Youngsters Jack Lynch and Tommy Bowler are fine prospects and the Cougars will be targetting this game to gain their maiden win.
The Lakers did the double over the Cougars last season, winning comfortably in the Presentation Gym before Godwin Boahen dug them out of a Rich Dunham-inspired battle back in March.
They will be keen to show themselves, their coach and supporters that the Fr Mathews game was a once off and the Presentation Gym will be the best place to show it.
ST PAUL'S WOMEN
Elsewhere, the St Paul's women's team will take the next step in their National Cup journey this Saturday night when they play Abbey Seals Dublin Lions in the last four. The match will be staged at the Glanmire Sports Hall in Cork.
The Metropolitans won a tight first round game against Templeogue while their quarter-final was a little more routine with a facile 75-44 win over the Limerick Celtics.
As for Paul's, the manner of their recent victories over the Limerick Sport Huskies, SETU Carlow, Limerick Celtics and Portlaoise Panthers has been impressive to say the least and they have qualified for the last four by virtue of a comfortable 87-51 quarter final win over the Huskies.
Tip-off in in Cork is at 8pm.
Kevin Cronin is aiming to make history on Saturday night by becoming the first Kerry man to win a professional boxing title – and you can watch it all at Jimmy Brien’s Bar in Killarney.
The Milltown native will fight for the vacant Boxing Union of Ireland Celtic light heavyweight title when he goes up against Limerick man Jamie Morrissey at the Europa Hotel in Belfast. The eight-round bout is expected to start at some time between 8pm and 10pm.
Cronin and Morrissey are both undefeated in the professional ranks (Cronin is 5-0 and Morrissey is 4-0) so a high-quality encounter is on the cards. Morrissey is looking to become the first two-weight champion having already secured the super middleweight belt.
For those who cannot make it to Belfast or to Jimmy Brien’s, the fight will be streamed live on Cronin’s Facebook page.
News
Aidan O’Mahony opens up about his fight with depression
By Sean Moriarty Kerry football legend Aidan O’Mahony will appear on TV tonight (Thursday) to speak about his mental health battle. Aidan, who will appear on the popular TG4 Laochra […]
By Sean Moriarty
Kerry football legend Aidan O’Mahony will appear on TV tonight (Thursday) to speak about his mental health battle.
Aidan, who will appear on the popular TG4 Laochra Gael tonight – will speak openly about how he overcame chronic health problems in his youth to take his place on one of the greatest teams of all time.
But when he was in his prime, he became embroiled in controversy as the first GAA player to fail a drugs test.
His mental health deteriorated and after a spell in a treatment centre, he faced the greatest challenge of his life – to rediscover his purpose and his love of the game. He found both in a promise he made when his father passed away.
Five All-Ireland senior medals, two All-Star awards and over 70 senior championship outings in Kerry colours, shows just what the Rathmore man gave to Kerry football.
He may have retired from inter-county football six years ago, but only a few short weeks ago he was part of the Rathmore club side that won the All-Ireland Intermediate Club title.
Now, at 42 years of age he is ready to call time on an illustrious career.
“I needed to step away from reality, society, everything that happened externally over the years had crept in and I had a decision whether I wanted to go down a dark path or go and get help about it,” the Tralee Garda said.
Tonight’s programme will also feature contributions from his former teammate Kieran Donaghy and local councillor Niall ‘Botty’ O’Callaghan, as well as family members who helped him through the good and bad times.
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