Portlaoise Panthers Season Start Delayed

The men's and women's teams were due to play Limerick Celtics.

Portlaoise Panthers will have to wait a little longer to get their season underway. 

Their men's and women's teams were due to play Limerick Celtics tomorrow but Basketball Ireland has announced an immediate cessation of all activities. 

The governing body say they'll be working with clubs in the coming days to finalise a new plan to start the season. 

Portlaoise Panthers stallworth Jack Scully says everyone at the club is confident their young squad will make strides in 2020:

The statement in full from Basketball Ireland:

The 2020/21 National League basketball season has been halted with immediate effect. The Super League and Division One season’s were due to start this weekend. 

It follows a meeting of the Sport Expert Group, which confirmed that last night’s restrictions by the government will result in senior national competitions being stopped. 

Basketball Ireland was informed through Sport Ireland of the Sport Expert Group’s decision. No senior national competition permitted is now permitted in Level 3. 

Basketball Ireland CEO, Bernard O’Byrne, said:

“This news has reached us this evening and while naturally disappointed that we can’t start our season, we fully understand the decision made by the Sport Expert Group, in light of the latest government restrictions. We are still awaiting the detail of the decision, but we will now work together with Sport Ireland and our National League clubs over the coming days to make a plan for 2020/21 season.” 

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