Domino’s Mens Super League Round 2
Griffith College Éanna 77
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 75
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors looked poised to end their wait for a win away to Griffith College Éanna when they opened up a 10-point lead with five minutes remaining in Round 2 of the Dominos Mens Super League last night. However, the hosts produced a late fightback, capped by a stunning three-pointer from Kristijan Andabaka, and a decisive basket from Morgan Taylor, to snatch a 77-75 victory and extend Warriors’ four year wait for a win at Coláiste Éanna for another season.
Warriors made the brighter start in a cagey opening quarter, with an Alec Millender hat-trick and Olaf Michalczuk also hitting the mark to establish a 9-5 lead. Éanna responded through Mica Kucheriavyi and Morgan Taylor to level matters before Michalczuk, Steven Bowler and a classic Cian Sullivan dunk edged Warriors ahead. However, scores from Cathal O’Sullivan, David George and Taylor saw Éanna lead 17-16 at quarter time.
Millender found the Éanna basket again early in the second, but Éanna replied through Taylor, Andabaka and a Karl Walsh three-pointer. Millender then landed two three pointers either side of another major score from Daniel Jokubaitis to keep the Éanna lead to a single score. Warriors upped the intensity and with scores from Jokubaitis, Millender, Bowler and Eoin Quigley, who struck from distance, fired Warriors into a 5 point lead but Cathal O’Sullivan’s put-back just before the break cut the gap to 43-40 at half time.
Warriors dominated the early exchanges in the third with Millender, Jokubaitis and Quigley leading the charge before Jaden Daughtry found his scoring touch to stretch the advantage to 11 points. Éanna responded impressively, however, scoring 10 of the next 12 points through O’Sullivan, Taylor, Nicholas Hopkins and a three-pointer from Neil Lynch but Daughtry and Jokubaitis combined to keep Warriors 60-57 up heading into the final quarter.
Sullivan and Daughtry had the Warriors lead out to 6 early in the fourth but Hopkins and Taylor replied in kind. Warriors then made what appeared to be the decisive move when Daughtry and Millender combined to make it 72-62 with five minutes remaining. Remarkably, Warriors were to score just once for the remainder of the game as Éanna set about halving the deficit with Hopkins converting from the line before Andabaka added three free throws following a foul by Millender and a technical foul call.
Andabaka then had the home crowd on their feet with a stunning three-pointer to put Éanna in position to steal the game but Jokubaitis silenced the vocal home support with what looked like the game winning shot from distance with one minute to go. However, with the clock winding down, Taylor broke away to land the final blow, complete the comeback and seal a dramatic 77-75 win for the hosts.
For Warriors, it was a tough defeat as they had the three League points in their grasp, only to see their hard work undone in the closing minutes.The sides will meet in Tralee at the end of January for the Warriors home League game, but potentially they could meet again as early as December. Warriors must first overcome Limerick Celtics, with the winners earning home advantage against Éanna in the National Cup quarter-final.
Scorers:
Griffith College Éanna: Morgan Taylor 20, Cathal O’Sullivan 16, Nicholas Hopkins 11, Mica Kucheriavyi 11
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors: Alec Millender 25, Daniel Jokubaitis 16, Jaden Daughtry 15
Griffith College Éanna: Morgan Taylor 20, Cathal O’Sullivan 16, Nicholas Hopkins 11, Mica Kucheriavyi 11
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors: Alec Millender 25, Daniel Jokubaitis 16, Jaden Daughtry 15
Next up for Warriors is another road trip to Dublin when they take UCD Marian next Saturday night with tip off at 7.00pm before a home tie in Castleisland Community Centre when they face Killester on Saturday October 24th.