by Adam Moynihan

National League Division 1

St Paul’s v Limerick Celtics

Saturday at 7.30pm

Killarney Sports & Leisure Centre

Word around town was that St Paul’s had assembled a squad capable of challenging for silverware but no one predicted a 40-point victory away from home in their very first game of the season.

Paul’s are back in the big leagues after a 10-year absence and last weekend’s facile win in Kilkenny against the Marble City Hawks was eye-catching to say the least. American Yuleska Ramirez Tejeda and Canadian Sofia Paska finished with 35 and 23 points respectively for the Killarney outfit as they ran out 82-42 winners. Kerry footballer Lorraine Scanlon chipped in with 11 while veteran Lynn Jones added 9.

With accomplished coach James ‘Boo Boo’ Fleming at the helm, the team are clearly aiming high. They have signed a number of players who previously lined out with St Mary’s, the Castleisland club who withdrew from the Super League last season.

Speaking to the Killarney Advertiser this week local player Rheanne O’Shea said the team’s primary goal is promotion to the top table.

“With the calibre of players we have, winning the league out and getting promoted to the Super League is top of our list of priorities. We have a panel of 14 with players like Lorraine Scanlon, Denise Dunlea, Aisling O’Mahony and Síofra O’Shea coming in. Leah McMahon is on board as well. All these players have experience at international and Super League level.

“This level is really step beneath what a lot of this team are used to. We should be pushing on, while also bringing some of the younger players through as well.

“The club put a lot of work in to assemble a squad and they made a big investment by bringing in two top-class foreign players. They both played in the league last year so they have great experience; Yuleska was probably the league’s best player last season with UL. She’s a guard. And Sofia is 6’5”, she played with the Celtics last season.

“They have both made a massive impression already. We have a well stacked up team.”

Next up is the visit of the Limerick Celtics, a fixture that will mark Paul’s first home game at national level in a decade. O’Shea, who missed last weekend’s match due to football commitments with Dr Crokes, says the Celtics will be a “big ask”.

“Then after a two-week break we have Portlaoise who will be one of the top tier teams this season. We’ll be hoping to build some momentum, starting with this home game on Saturday.”

After a long period with no National League basketball to enjoy, local basketball fans now have three teams to keep track of: St Paul’s in the women’s Division 1 and the Lakers and the Cougars in the men’s. O’Shea and her teammates are hoping to grow a good following, taking the lead of the Lakers who have attracted large crowds to the Killarney Sports & Leisure Centre since returning in 2017.

“The more you’re winning, the more support you’re going to get, the more people are going to come and see what the buzz is about” O’Shea said. “I think moving forward they’re going to try and get the men’s and women’s games on the same night if they can so that will be nice.

 “Hopefully we’ll draw a big crowd this coming Saturday.”