CATHAL BRUGHA will pick up their first National League title in three years if they can beat Setanta on Thursday (8pm) at Falls Leisure Centre.
They last won the title in 2013 and having gone unbeaten all season require just one win from their final four games to make sure of the Nicholl Trophy. Coach Peter Cassidy is keen to get the title wrapped up so that he can use the final games as part of his preparation for the Irish Senior Cup which this year for the first time is being played at the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin from April 21-23.
He is, however, taking nothing for granted: "We beat Setanta 20-7 in Lisburn last week, but they didn't have their regular goalkeeper and the narrower pool at Falls suits them better than it does us," Cassidy said.
Grads, meanwhile, did pick up the first piece of league silverware this season when a comfortable win over North Dublin B left them in an unassailable position at the top of Division 3 and assured them of Division 2 status next season.
Cup fever is starting to set in and the draw and order of matches has now been released.The eight finalists have been drawn into two groups of four who play off on a round robin basis with the top two in each group progressing to the semi-finals. The groups are: A - Clonard, Corrib, Half Moon and Cathal Brugha (holders); B - North Dublin, Sandycove, Setanta and St Vincent's.
The five finalists in the women's competition play-off on a round-robin basis, with the top two meeting again to decide the destination of the title. The participating teams are Cathal Brugha, Donegall Diamonds, Glenalbyn, St Vincent's (holders) and Tribes.
THERE was a big turn out of Water Polo enthusiasts at the Belfast Sports Awards 2016 presentation dinner in the City Hall last Friday to see three of the top prizes go to their aquatic discipline.
Ruth McGuigan(Donegall Diamonds) who won three Irish Senior Cup winners' medals in her heyday with Brugha and who is currently coach to the Ireland girls team won the Junior coaching award. Peter Cassidy, who led Brugha to Senior Cup glory last year took the Senior Coach of the Year accolade and was delighted to see his side recognised as Team of the Year.
