Irish Basketball Association Men’s Division 1 1997-98

Final Standings

 PWLPFPAPts
Sligo Dairies (C – D1C)18144  46
Waterford Crystal (D1C)18135  44
Burger King Limerick (D1C)18126  42
Tolka Rovers (D1C)18108  38
Mid Sutton-Baldoyle18108  38
Riverisland Castleisland18810  34
Team Oscar Tridents18513  28
St. Gall’s18018  18
[Reference: 1]

Division 1 Championship

DateHome Team Away Team 
 
Semi-Finals
   
 14.03.1998Waterford Crystal87Limerick75
 14.03.1998Sligo Dairies74Tolka Rovers67
 
Final
   
 15.03.1998Waterford Crystal90Sligo Dairies68
[Reference: 2]

Note: Division 1 was merged with the Super League in 1998 and recreated as a second level in 2001. There was no second level at National League level from 1998-2001.

Regular Season Results

W/EHome TeamAway Team
Week 1
05.10.1997St. Galls71Sligo Dairies83
05.10.1997Burger King Limerick73Tolka Rovers76
05.10.1997Riverisland Castleisland98Team Oscar Tridents84
05.10.1997Waterford Crystal88Mid Sutton-Baldoyle75
Week 2
11.10.1997Team Oscar Tridents103St. Galls60
11.10.1997Sligo All Stars100Tolka Rovers75
11.10.1997Riverisland Castleisland77Mid Sutton Baldoyle83
12.10.1997Waterford Crystalw/oBurger King Limerickscr #
Week 3
19.10.1997Sligo All Stars103Riverisland Castleisland69
19.10.1997Waterford Crystal95Burger King Limerick87
19.10.1997Team Oscar Tridents91Mid Sutton Baldoyle78
19.10.1997Tolka Rovers101St. Galls89
Week 4
26.10.1997Riverisland Castleisland97Tolka Rovers93
26.10.1997Team Oscar Tridents82Sligo Dairies104
26.10.1997Mid Sutton Baldoyle91Waterford Crystal70
26.10.1997Burger King Limerick102St. Galls75
Week 5
09.11.1997Team Oscar Tridents86Waterford Crystal107
09.11.1997Tolka Rovers85Sligo Dairies102
09.11.1997Burger King Limerick94Mid Sutton Baldoyle82
09.11.1997St. Galls66Riverisland Castleisland85
Week 6
16.11.1997Sligo Dairies74Waterford Crystal72
16.11.1997Mid Sutton-Baldoyle82Team Oscar Tridents67
16.11.1997Riverisland Castleisland75Burger KIng Limerick81
16.11.1997Tolka Rovers118St. Galls59
Week 7
23.11.1997Team Sligo Dairies88Mid Sutton-Baldoyle84
23.11.1997Burger King Limerick65Oscar Tridents72
23.11.1997St. Galls60Riverisland Castleisland71
23.11.1997Waterford Crystal112Tolka Rovers106 ot
Week 8
30.11.1997Team Oscar Tridents89Team Sligo Dairies97
30.11.1997Waterford Crystal95St. Galls75
30.11.1997Burger King Limerick81Riverisland Castleisland72
30.11.1997Tolka Rovers83Mid Sutton-Baldoyle84
Week 9
07.12.1997Sligo Dairies74Burger King Limerick90
07.12.1997Riverisland Castleisland122Waterford Crystal113 ot
07.12.1997St. Galls81Mid Sutton-Baldoyle82
07.12.1997Tolka Rovers87Oscar Tridents73
Week 10
21.12.1997St. Galls85Team Oscar Tridents107
21.12.1997Waterford Crystal66Burger King Limerick71
21.12.1997Mid Sutton-Baldoyle93Riverisland Castleisland79
21.12.1997Tolka Rovers98Sligo Dairies111
Week 11
04.01.1998Tolka Rovers85Burger King Limerick103
04.01.1998Sligo Dairies122St. Galls74
04.01.1998Mid Sutton-Baldoyle72Waterford Crystal75
04.01.1998Oscar Tridents64Riverisland Castleisland100
Week 12
11.01.1998Riverisland Castleisland89Sligo Dairies101
11.01.1998Burger King Limerick74Waterford Crystal82
11.01.1998Mid Sutton-Baldoyle102Oscar Tridents87
11.01.1998St. Galls71Tolka Rovers117
Week 13
18.01.1998Sligo Dairies83Team Oscar Tridents85
18.01.1998Waterford Crystal104Mid Sutton-Baldoyle84
18.01.1998Tolka Rovers102Riverisland Castleisland95
18.01.1998St. Galls71Burgerland Limerick98
Week 14
01.02.1997Sligo Dairies 85Tolka Rovers81
01.02.1997Waterford Crystal106Oscar Tridents87
01.02.1997Riverisland Castleisland129St. Galls81
01.02.1997Mid Sutton-Baldoyle67Burger King Limerick51
Week 15
08.02.1998St. Galls74Tolka Rovers115
08.02.1998Oscar Tridents51Mid Sutton-Baldoyle81
08.02.1998Waterford Crystal91Team Sligo Dairies85
08.02.1998Burger King Limerick112Riverisland Castleisland89
Week 16
15.02.1998Mid Sutton-Baldoyle106Sligo Dairies87
15.02.1998Tolka Rovers109Waterford Crystal78
15.02.1998Team Oscar Tridents99Burger King Limerick110
15.02.1998Riverisland Castleisland112St. Galls71
Week 17
22.02.1998Team Sligo Dairies111Team Oscar Tridents85
22.02.1998Riverisland Castleisland80Burger King Limerick89
22.02.1998St. Galls62Waterford Crystal127
22.02.1998Mid Sutton-Baldoyle88Tolka Rovers92
Week 18
22.02.1998Burger King Limerick61Sligo Dairies98
22.02.1998Waterford Cyrstal67Riverisland Castleisland61
22.02.1998Mid Sutton-Baldoyle121St. Galls82
22.02.1998Team Oscar Tridents76Tolka Rovers79
[References: 3-27]

Report

Sligo All Stars (aka Sligo Dairies for sponsorship reasons) were out in front of the Irish Basketball Association Budweiser Men’s Division 1 at the end of October with four wins from four games. Waterford Crystal were hot on their heels with three wins and one loss.

A month later at the end of November, Team Sligo Dairies were still undefeated with 8 wins, two ahead of nearest challengers Waterford Crystal, with three teams on 4 wins: Riverisland Castleisland, MSB (Mid Sutton-Baldoyle) and Burger King Limerick.

Sligo Dairies dropped their first game of the season in Week 9 to Burger KIng Limerick who won by a surprising 16 points as they moved into a three-way tie for second on 6 wins with Waterford Crystal and MSB, three behinf Sligo Dairies by the end of 1997. Three other teams were still n contention for the playoffs with Riverisland Castleisland on five wins, and Tolka Rovers and Team Oscar Tridents on four each. Only St. Galls of Belfast out of the running with ten straight defeats.

By the last weekend of league action in January 1998, Sligo Dairies were still on top although had just lost their second game of the season to Oscar Tridents, who were second last. Waterford Crystal remained in contention with three wins in January, leaving them on 9-4. Burger King Limerick (8-5) and MSB (7-6) were the other two playoff placed teams.

At the end of the season, Sligo Dairies had held on to win the League with 14 wins from 18 games, one win ahead of Waterford Crystal and two ahead of Burger King Limerick. Tolka Rovers sneaked into the Division 1 Championship ahead of Mid Sutton-Baldoyle after both finished on 10-8. Riverisland Castleisland (8-10), Oscar Tridents (5-13) and St. Galls (0-18) took the bottom three spots.

In the Division 1 Championship Waterford Crystal overcame Sligo Dairies 90-68 in the Final, after they had knocked out Burger King Limerick and Tolka Rovers respectively in the Semi-Finals. All four were promoted to the Super League for 1998-99.

About the Basketball National Leagues

The Men’s Division 1 was the 2nd Level of the IBA National Basketball League from 1993-2003. There was automatic Promotion and Relegation to and from the Super League.

The Second Level was merged with the Super League after the 1997-98 season and re-established in 2001. Ballina won the Playoff Final in 2001-02, and completed the double in 2002-03.

References

Newspapers

[1] Anon. (1998) “Basketball”. Irish Independent. Monday, March 2, 1998. pp. 20-21.

[2] Anon. (1998) “Basketball”. Irish Independent. Monday, March 16, 1998. pp. 34-35

[3] Anon. (1997) “Factfile: Basketball” Irish Independent. Monday, October 6, 1997. Pg. 30

[4] Anon. (1997) “Factfile: Basketball” Irish Independent. Monday, October 13, 1997. Pg. 34

[5] Anon. (1997) “Ballina want McClean on the Plane from Spain” Irish Independent. Friday, October 17, 1997. Pg. 18

[6] Anon. (1997) “Factfile: Basketball” Irish Independent. Saturday, October 18, 1997. Pg. 22

[7] Anon. (1997) “Factfile: Basketball” Irish Independent. Monday, October 20, 1997. Pg. 32

[8] Anon. (1997) “McClean helps to sink Neptune” Irish Independent. Monday, October 20, 1997. Pg. 32

[9] Anon. (1997) “Factfile: Basketball” Irish Independent. Monday, October 27, 1997. Pg. 34

[10] Anon. (1997) “Factfile: Basketball” Irish Independent. Monday, November 10, 1997. Pg. 34.

[11] Anon. (1997) “Factfile: Basketball” Irish Independent. Monday, November 17, 1997. Pg. 34.

[12] Anon. (1997) “Factfile: Basketball” Irish Independent. Monday, November 24, 1997. Pg. 30.

[13] Anon. (1997) “A-Z of Weekend Sport: Basketball” Irish Independent. Monday, December 1, 1997. Pg. 30

[14] Anon. (1997) “A-Z of Weekend Sport: Basketball” Irish Independent. Monday, December8, 1997, Pg. 33

[15] Anon. (1997) “A-Z of Weekend Sport: Basketball” Irish Independent. Monday, December 22, 1997, Pg. 40

[16] Anon. (1998) “A-Z of Weekend Sport: Basketball” Irish Independent. Monday, January 5, 1998, Pg. 23

[17] Anon. (1998) “A-Z of Weekend Sport: Basketball” Irish Independent. Monday, January 12, 1998, Pg. 31

[18] Anon. (1998) “Neptune looking up as Augusto points the way” Irish Independent. Monday, January 19, 1998, Pg. 30

[19] Anon. (1998) “A-Z of Weekend Sport: Basketball” Irish Independent. Monday, January 26, 1998, Pg. 31

[20] Anon. (1998) “A-Z of Weekend Sport: Basketball” Irish Independent. Monday, February 2, 1998, Pg. 20

[21] Anon. (1998) “A-Z of Weekend Sport: Basketball” Irish Independent. Monday, February 9, 1998, Pg. 26

[22] Anon. (1998) “A-Z of Weekend Sport: Basketball” Irish Independent. Monday, February 16, 1998, Pg. 32

[23] Anon. (1998) “A-Z of Weekend Sport: Basketball” Irish Independent. Monday, February 23, 1998, Pg. 28

[24] Anon. (1998) “A-Z of Weekend Sport: Basketball” Irish Independent. Monday, March 2, 1998, Pg. 20

[3] Anon. (1997) “Sports Round Up” Irish Times. Monday, November 24, 1997. pg. 28 [Internet] Available online at: https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1997/1124/Pg028.html#Ar02800 [Accessed 19 December 2020]

[4] Anon. (1997) “Sports Round Up” Irish Times. Monday, December 1, 1997. pg. 30 [Internet] Available from: https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1997/1201/Pg030.html#Ar03000 [Accessed 19 December 2020]

Websites

[1] Basketball Ireland (2018) History [Internet] Available from: http://www.basketballireland.ie/history/ [Accessed 26 May 2018]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to John Folan.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 19 December 2020

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Resereved.

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