All to play for on final weekend

The two sides are tied on 14 wins apiece, with St Paul's ahead in the table by virtue of their one-point win when the sides met in Killarney in December, so a win for Maree on Saturday will see them take second spot and a home quarter-final against a Carrick Cruisers side that beat them at the weekend. Lose and they will be heading east for a meeting with either Drogheda Wolves or Dublin Lions.

Titans currently sit in the final play-off spot and for them, the maths are simple: a win in their final game on Saturday at home to Tipp Talons (7pm) will secure their place in the play-offs.

However, a home defeat will open the door for Maigh Cuilinn to make the quarter-finals, and the Connemara side will join Maree in the play-offs with a win away to Portlaoise Panthers (7pm) if Titans come unstuck in Ballinfoile.

University of Galway Mystics missed out on a chance to finish seventh in the final Women's Division One league standings, but they had already booked their play-off spot, and face table-toppers Cleveland Rockets in the last eight in a fortnight.

Meanwhile, Claregalway booked their place in the semi-finals of the Women’s BIDL with a 58-52 win at home to Tralee Warriors on Sunday in the only one of the four quarter-finals that was played; while Titans are through to the quarter-finals of the Men’s U-20 League, the defending champions seeing off Ballincollig in their Last 16 clash.

Men's Division One

Maigh Cuilinn 85

Malahide 73

After 21 regular-season games spread across six months, the entire campaign now comes down to one final weekend for Maigh Cuilinn following a stirring comeback victory over Malahide on Saturday night.

Trailing by eight points at half-time and still chasing entering the final quarter, the Connemara side produced a dramatic late surge to keep their playoff hopes alive heading into the final round of fixtures.

The night belonged to veteran James Loughnane as, 21 years after first pulling on a Maigh Cuilinn jersey in a Senior Men’s National League game, he proved decisive once again, finishing with 20 points, including an extraordinary 11-point burst in the fourth quarter.

Malahide started brightly and edged the opening quarter 21-15; and followed it with a 20-18 second period to carry a deserved 41-33 lead into half-time.

The third quarter hinted at a shift. Maigh Cuilinn tightened defensively and began to chip away, winning the period 17-14, before Maigh Cuilinn unleashed a 23-12 run in the fourth quarter that transformed the contest. Youngster Liam Moloney was a key catalyst, injecting pace and composure as the hosts began to find their rhythm. Then Loughnane took centre stage.

The veteran guard drilled three 3-pointers in quick succession, before finishing the sequence with a strong drive to the basket that pushed Maigh Cuilinn into a 73-67 lead with under four minutes remaining. It proved the decisive blow.

From there, Malahide — so fluent offensively earlier — found no answer. Their defensive frailties, which have troubled them throughout the season, resurfaced at the worst possible moment. With Loughnane, Grant Olsson and Ivan Basic all finding space and confidence, the home side closed the game out emphatically.

Maigh Cuilinn: J Loughnane (20), J Hynes, I Basic (17), G Olsson (24), D Cunningham (4), L Moloney (11), B Hardiman (5), R O'Sullvian (4), R Ó Cnaimhsi.

Titans 81

Templeogue 70

Titans ensured they will go into the final round of games with their destiny in their own hands thanks to an 11-point win over Templeogue in Ballinfoile on Saturday.

Erin Bracken's side overcame a slow start to take a two-point advantage at half-time; and following a back-and-forth third quarter, the home side stretched their legs in the final 10 minutes to clinch the win that keeps them fourth in the table.

Umar Rachid (28 points, 10 rebounds) and Fortune Igbokwe (20pts, 10 rebounds) both finished with double-doubles, and with Declan Gbinigie also scoring heavily, the home side extended their winning run to three games on the spin, coming to the boil at just the right time.

The visitors led 21-17 at the end of the first quarter as both sides rotated heavily, but the home side clicked into gear in the second quarter, an 11-point haul from Rachid pushing them 41-39 ahead.

Templeogue just edged the third quarter, taking it 20-19 to cut the deficit to a point heading into the final 10 minutes; and the Dublin side had their noses ahead with less than two minutes gone in the final quarter, an Evan Cook steal and score putting them 63-62 ahead.

The lead then changed hands three more times before Titans put in a decisive scoring run, going from 69-68 ahead with four minutes remaining to leading 77-68 to two minutes to go, and they saw out the final 120 seconds in comfort to stay fourth in the South Conference table.

Titans: J Coughlan (2), F Igbokwe (20), U Rachid (28), D Gbinigie (19), M Sweeney (4), V Tashev (2), N Gbinigie (4), B Powell (2), C McCormack.

Carrick Cruisers 85

Maree 74

A short-handed Maree came off second best on their trip to Monaghan on Saturday night, but they are still in the hunt for a top-two finish after St Paul's fell to an 83-72 defeat at home to Drogheda Wolves.

Maree travelled to Carrickmacross with just seven players, meaning their three imports – Rinor Dragusha, Isaiah Taylor, and Justin Wickham – had to lay the entire 40 minutes for the visitors.

Maree took the first quarter 20-16, Dragusha accounting for half of his side's points; and they still had the edge at half-time, taking a 38-36 lead into the break.

However, the winning of the game came in the third quarter, as Carrick began to find their range, with Braxton Benham hitting 12 points in the quarter which Carrick took 27-19 to lead 63-57.

Maree never got closer than five points to their hosts in the final quarter as the home side secured their own place in the play-offs, and depending on results this weekend, they could be locking horns again the quarter-finals last this month.

Maree will hope to have Cillian Cannon back for the game, but a back injury may keep captain John Burke sidelined.

Maree: I Taylor (27), D Oyeleye (9), R Dragusha (25), H Bevan, J Wickham (9), J Morris (4), B McGrath.

Women's Division One

Mystics 60

Templeogue 76

University of Galway Mystics have booked a quarter-final away to Cleveland Rockets on Saturday week after wrapping-up their regular season with defeat to Templeogue on Sunday.

Mystics made an impressive start, taking control in the opening quarter to lead 19-9. KaraMcCleane set the tone early with seven points, while Emma Glavin added six as the home side established momentum.

Templeogue responded strongly in the second period, however, with Hannah Murphy leading the scoring with eight points. The visitors edged ahead before the break to take the lead at half-time with a score of 34-31.

Templeogue’s Sofia Paska dominated their effort in the third quarter with 11 points. Despite Mystics fighting back, led by Emma Glavin with eight points, Templeogue regained control, ending the period 58-48.

Both teams continued to trade scores in the fourth quarter. Paska added a further six points for Templeogue, while Mystics responded through McCleane, Glavin and Bella Quinn, who scored five, four and three points respectively.

Despite a determined effort from the home side - including eight three-pointers throughout the game - Templeogue held firm to take the win.

“While we’re disappointed to lose today, we are very pleased to have secured an eighth-place finish and a spot in the play-offs,” said Mystics head coach, Paul Langan.

“We are the only team in the league who have chosen to compete without a paid professional player, so finishing ahead of two other teams is a huge accomplishment.

“Whatever happens in the playoffs, this season has laid a really positive foundation, and we’re already looking forward to building on that progress next year. It’s been a strong start, and there is plenty more to come from this team.”

Mystics: Ellie Glavin (2), I Quinn (12), Emma Glavin (18), K McCleane (17), E Dillon (2), G Munnelly (5), L Hynes (2), K Gierszal (2), C McCreanor, O Sasse, C Keogh, C Hickey.