Limerick Sport Huskies take the win in Tralee

Uniquely Tralee Warriors first game at their official home court in Mercy Mounthawk ended in defeat as they went down to Limerick Sport Huskies by 61-50 on Saturday evening in Round 2 of the Dominos Womens National League Division One.

As they did last week against Dublin Lions, the Warriors started positively with Amy Cotton landing scores from either side of the arc. Limerick were up and running when Orlaith Woods countered with a major score and repeated the dose two minutes later and with scores from Carla Gomez Santa and Sophie Moore the visitors led 10-6 lead, but another three from Cotton and Meabh Barry’s first from the floor edged Warriors ahead. Sydney Wright and Gomez Santa combined for the Huskies to square the game but Priya O’Donovan with a three and a Mary Kate Smith basket late on give Warriors a narrow 20-19 lead at quarter time.

The Huskies capitalised on the Warriors defence coughing up their quota of fouls midway through the second quarter. Wright, Gomez Santa and Fiona O’Connell added from the free throw line to edge the visitors ahead before Wright and Woods were on the mark again but a basket each from Priya O’Donovan and Muireann Teahan kept the Limerick advantage to a manageable 29-24 at half time.

The Warriors struggled to find the Limerick basket with any fluency in the third quarter while at the other end the Huskies found their scores with greater ease.  Three pointers from Gomez Santa, Mia McEntee and Sophie Moore along with a six point volley from playmaker Wright had the hosts on the backfoot and despite a stylish finish from Muireann Teahan and a double from Meabh Barry, Limerick took a 46-30 lead into the final quarter.

Warriors needed a fast start and got it when Amy Cotton hit seven unanswered points to play the hosts right back into the game. However just as the Warriors momentum had built Limerick hit back through Wright, Moore and a three from Clodagh Coffey to reestablish their 16 point lead. Try as they might Warriors could not reproduce their early quarter run and despite Niamh O’Connor scoring from the floor and free throw line and Gracie O’Sullivan hitting a gem of three pointer, Limerick saw out the win with baskets from the impressive point guard Sydney Wright with two and Orlaith Woods adding the insurance score to seal a 61-50 win in the end.

Scorers:
Uniquely Tralee Warriors: Amy Cotton 19, Meabh Barry 9, Niamh O’Connor 6, Muireann Teahan 6

Limerick Sports Huskies: Sydney Wright 20, Orlaith Woods 11, Clara Gomez Santa 11, Sophie Moore 11

Next up for the Uniquely Tralee Warriors is their first away game of the season when they face Moy Tolka Rovers in the Tolka Rovers Sports Complex with tip off next Saturday at 5.00pm.