Domino’s Men’s Super League – Round 6
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 69
Limerick Celtics 88
From the high of back-to-back wins over Killester and Neptune last week, Garvey’s Tralee Warriors were brought right back down to earth on Friday night, going down by 88-69 to Limerick Celtics in Round 6 of the Domino’s Mens Super League. The loss leaves the Warriors with a 3-3 record from six games played, but they must now take on Celtics again, this time away from home in Crescent College next Sunday, in the opening round of the National Cup. Celtics laid down a significant marker ahead of that clash and Warriors must now summon something very special if they wish to set up a home Cup quarter-final against Griffith College Éanna in early December.
Warriors brought the momentum of the Bank Holiday wins into the contest with two major scores each from Alec Millender and Daniel Jokubaitis giving the hosts a 14-10 lead midway through the first with Sebastian Cole, Finn Hughes, Tiras Morton and Philip Kearney in range for Celtics. Peter Turay, Ruairi Cronin, Kearney and Cole then added an unanswered 10 point volley to fire Celtics into a 21-10 lead. Liam O’Rahilly replied from distance and Eoin Quigley added his second score of the night but a basket each from Cronin, Turay and Callum Keyes saw Limerick 27-19 up at quarter time.
Keyes and Cole combined early to add to the Celtics lead but Millender countered with scores from inside and out before Quigley’s third kept the gap to 33-26. A big three from Kearney and free throws from Martin Frawley pushed the advantage out to double digits but Ryan Sheehy came off the bench to arc in back to back three point scores in a brave attempt to spark a Warriors rally. However, Philip Kearney fired in two majors of his own in response and Cole was flawless from the line to see Celtics fire their way into a comfortable 46-32 lead at half time.
Sheehy added his third three straight after the break and Millender soon followed his lead but Celtics pushed further ahead with a quickfire 7 points from Finn Hughes and a three pointer each from Kearney and Morton powering the visitors into a game winning position, up 61-40. That lead was further enhanced with Keyes hitting from either side of the arc and despite O’Rahilly cracking in his second major of the night, Limerick Celtics were in total control of the contest at 68-46 ahead at three-quarter time.
Limerick did not relent in the final quarter and after a three from Keyes and a double from Kearney, they forced a Warriors timeout. Out of the break, scores from Daughtry and two from Quigley made little impression on the sizable Celtics lead. Even the addition of four major scores from Sheehy, Keelan Crowe and two from Olaf Michalczuk late on gave the scoreline a little more respectability. Celtics impressive 8 from 9 free throws in the final two minutes typified their accuracy on the night with Morton, Cronin and Matthew Barry gilding a comfortable 88-69 win in the end for Celtics.
Scorers
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors: Alec Millender 20, Ryan Sheehy 12, Eoin Quigley 11
Limerick Celtics: Philip Kearney 21, Finn Hughes 14, Callum Keyes 12
Warriors now face a trip to Crescent College in Limerick to take on Limerick Celtics in Round One of the Domino’s Mens Super League Cup on Sunday next November 13th, with tip off at 3.15pm.
Thanks to Liam Ryan for the images.