Dominos Mens Super League R5
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 73 Belfast Star 85
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors relinquished their unbeaten run at the Kerry Sports Academy going down to League leaders Belfast Star by 85-73 on Sunday afternoon. Having trailed by 10 going into the final quarter, the Warriors definitely turned the contest around to lead with 4 minutes on the clock. However, Belfast outscored their hosts by 18-4 in the final minutes to seal the win and remain unbeaten in their five games played and two clear wins ahead of the chasing Super League pack.
The Warriors started brightly with Iggy Hunte on the mark with two early scores and a Daniel Jokubaitis major helping the hosts to a 9-5 lead. Belfast benefitted from some early Warriors indiscipline allowing Shane Bell and former Warrior Rap Buivydas hit 7 from 7 from the line to go ahead. However Jokubaitis was back in range to put the Warriors 16-12 up and despite Max Richardson opening his account and a tough finish from RJ Wilson, Warriors took full value from a series of fouls by Belfast to add 8 from the free throw line and lead 24-18 at quarter time.
The Warriors pushed the lead out to 8 with Jokubaitis and Jordan Perkins on the mark early in the second but Belfast replied with a volley of major scores from Bell, Richardson and the Quinn twins Aidan and Conor to see Star go 36-32 up midway through the quarter. Hunte, Perkins and Eoin Quigley combined from the field to level the contest but a double from Richardson and a major score each from Buivydas and Conor Liston gave Belfast a 46-40 lead at the long break.
Belfast took their second quarter momentum into the third and with the Quinns hitting trademark threes and Buivydas and Wilson bossing the exchanges under the Warriors board, Belfast quickly put 15 between the teams midway through the quarter. Threes from Perkins and Olaf Michalczuk helped the Warriors cut the gap and when Dan Bowler and Hunte were on the mark late on the gap was down to a more manageable 63-53 at the end of the third.
The Warriors started the fourth with an impressive run of scores yielding 16 points and limiting Belfast to a single major score from Buivydas. The relentless run saw Perkins strike from distance, a double from inside from Hunte and an acrobatic effort from Jokubaitis to bridge the gap and when Perkins followed up to take full advantage from the line, the game was tied at 67-67. Iggy Hunte then tipped in at the Belfast board to see the Warriors take the lead for the first time since early in the second. With the home crowd in full voice the Warriors looked set for an unlikely turnaround win but Belfast asserted late on with a decisive 16 point volley of their own with Wilson, Bell, Richardson and Conor and Aidan Quinn all getting in on the act to close out the game. Disappointingly, the Warriors were simply unable to summon the energy or resources required to withstand the League leaders’ attack late on, and Belfast ran out easy 85-73 winners in the end.
Scorers:
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors: Iggy Hunte 21, Jordan Perkins 17, Daniel Jokubaitis 13
Belfast Star: RJ Wilson 20, Rap Buivydas 16, Conor Quinn 13
Next up for the Warriors is a chance to get back to winning ways at the Kerry Sports Academy when they host St. Vincent’s next Saturday 1st November with tip off at 7.00pm.