Masters Basketball returns to the Marble City this weekend

This weekend sees the seventh annual Kilkenny Masters (Over 40s and 50s Ladies and Men’s) Basketball Tournament taking place in three venues around the city.

The 36 teams participating in this prestigious event are travelling from Cork, Kerry, Mayo, Dublin, Offaly, Cavan, Limerick, Laois, Wexford, Waterford and of course Kilkenny.

And the three teams over from England hail from Yorkshire, Bristol and Birmingham.

There will be over 400 players and officials taking part during the three days of sporting action, with the equally important social night out in Paris Texas on the Saturday evening.

It goes to show the importance of well-being and health and fitness for adults who wish to continue playing sport into their forties and fifties.

The action gets under way in O’Loughlin Gaels this Friday evening, February 28, from 7.20pm, with the Kilkenny Ladies 40s team of Marble City Mayfairs taking on the mighty Notre Dame of Dublin to compete for the Seamus Walsh Cup.

And straight after are the Kilkenny Men’s 40’s team up against Ballina Celtics.

The Lar Murphy Memorial Cup is at stake for the eventual winners in this category.

There will also be underage boys and girls Kilkenny Stars teams playing beforehand, which promises to entertain supporters.

The bulk of the games take place on Saturday, spread across O’Loughlin Gaels, Loreto and St. Kieran’s halls from 9am to 5pm.

One game of note is on at 10am in St Kieran’s, where the Kilkenny Men’s 50s team begin the defence of their Cup win last time out.

The finals then take place in the same venues on Sunday.

You can check out their website and Facebook page for more details, www.kilkennymasters.ie.

Entry is free and all are encouraged to come along and see the action.

In addition, there will be a Wheelchair Exhibition game between the players of the South East Swifts basketball team in St Kieran’s hall, scheduled for 12.50pm on Sunday.

Have a look at how Pat O’Neill and his team manage to weave their way round a court on wheels!

The Kilkenny Stars Basketball Club will be providing a catering service at each venue to help fundraise for their teams and your support will be greatly appreciated.

The Kilkenny Masters committee wish to thank all who have helped bring this tournament to fruition, especially their sponsors: Paris Texas Bar, Pembroke Hotel, CluneTech, House Of Stoves, Langtons Hotel, Hibernian Hotel, SAZERAC Ireland, Sport Ireland (Age and Opportunity), HSE, Basketball Ireland, St Canice’s Credit Union, Pat Carroll’s Bar, Hennessy Sports, TJ Reid Health and Fitness, Infocus Opticians, Top Part, DJSolutions.ie, moonbehindthehill.ie and drawinginc.ie.