Mark Woods

Denny Notre Dame have retained their Sprite Irish Cup title after defeating Neptune 73-79 in a Final, undistinguished by scrappy performances from both teams. As has become their custom this season, Denny started slowly in the opening quarter, allowing their Cork-based opponents to build up a 12 point advantage at 20-8. Neptune's American guard Harold Joiner started strongly and with Cuban Augusto Dusquesne in support, the pair took advantage of some abysmal Denny shooting. The lead was quickly closed as the half drew to an end as Denny hit five consecutive shots to trail only 33-32 at half time.

Denny coach Antony Jenkins, frustrated by the injury which keeps him off court for the rest of the season, sent out a fired up side for the second half and Damien Sealy quickly fired his first nine points of the entire game to produce a seven point lead for the Dubliners, before Neptune responded in kind. Dusquesne and Joiner again tried to compensate for the absence of their Irish colleagues, and with five minutes left, their team trailed only by one point at 69-68. However Denny, buoyed by their large home support, added a 5-0 run through American Randall Mounts, and a tired Neptune team came no closer in the closing minutes, giving Denny another piece of silverware. Augusto Dusquesne followed up his big semi final performance to lead all scorers with 26 points, but Denny trio Lennie McMillan, Randall Mounts and Daniel Johnson had 16 points apiece. A jubilant Jenkins made light of his absence in court and added after the game, "If they're that good without me - what will they be like when I get back ?"

Snowcream Wildcats lifted their first ever Irish Cup after a convincing 72-58 defeat of Openet Naomh Mhuire. Wildcats showed little sign of their usual Cup nerves which were so evident in their overtime semi-final win over Meteors, producing controlled basketball from the off for a totally dominant display. Wildcats' dangerous duo of Michelle Maguire and Gillian Hayes, who each finished the match with 24 points, held complete sway during the opening half, scoring 33 of their side's 44 points. Mhuire stepped up on defence in the second half, nullifying Hayes almost completely, and with four minutes left Edel O'Gorman's jump shot left Wildcats only four points in the lead. With yet another Cup collapse very much in sight, Hayes regained her composure and with Maguire deadly accurate from three point range, the pair added 12 points in two minutes, providing sufficient cushion for Waterford to secure the trophy and for Maguire to take the MVP award. For Mhuire, Eimear O'Gorman and Anne Marie Kyne each had 17 points, but it was not enough to keep the Cup in Dublin.

In the Junior Finals, Susan Moran could not quite match her 56 point performance of Saturday, but with a tremendous 52 point tally, she led Tullamore to a comfortable 82-64 win over Castlebar Rockets in the Junior Women's Final. Killester's youth policy triumphed over Blue Demons, as 17 points from Paddy Kelly helped the Dublin side to a 67-52 win in the Junior Men's climax.

Openet Naomh Mhuire 58-72 Snowcream Wildcats

Neptune Evening Echo 73-79 Denny Notre Dame

SHS Tullamore 82-64 Castlebar

Blue Demons 52-67 Killarney

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