Mayo basketball derby to heat up season

The Mayo basketball derby promises to be a hotly contested affair. When the Mayo Meteors and Team Merry Monk Ballina clash in the Basketball Ireland Development League (BIDL) this Saturday, the gloves come off.

"There will be a lot of pride on the line" says Ballina coach Derek Cunningham, adding: "We have played each other seven times over the last two years with Ballina winning six of them."

The same goes for Mayo Meteors player Alex Evans: "Obviously it has that little bit of extra, little bit of extra something to it, being a rivalry and being the only two teams in Mayo, you want to go out and call yourself the best team in Mayo."

As it happens in derby matches, the atmosphere can get to players. And that's definitely happened to the Meteors before, which explains the record of only winning one out of seven derbies against Ballina:

"There'll be some words exchanged, but just try and suppress that and put that away and do what you need to do. We have to try and put our emotions aside for a game like this. It's important to just feel like a normal game, and not try to get too caught up in the moment." 

There is no doubt after the Meteors first derby victory last season, that both teams meet on a more equal footing, as Ballina coach Cunningham acknowledges: "It will be a competitive match."

Team Merry Monk started their BIDL campaign with a win over Galway side Maree.  

Then followed a defeat to Limerick Celtics. For Mayo Meteors the county derby will be their first match of the BIDL campaign. What a way to start the league season.

Venue uncertain

Regarding the venue, it might be moved from De Le Salle Castlebar to Tourmakeady due to ongoing repairs in the Castlebar hall. The club asks everyone to keep an eye out on their social media channels. Tip-off is in any case at 7pm.