U-18s look to build on win over Navan

Sullivan takes game by storm DROGHEDA WOLVES 86 DUNSHAUGHLIN ROCK 77

DROGHEDA Wolves are unbeaten in the North East League for more than two seasons, but they were pushed all the way before escaping with a nine-point win over Dunshaughlin on Saturday last.

With only seven players active, Wolves trailed 17-13 after the first quarter, finding difficulty making their shots. However, they lit up quarter two by scoring 30 points, with Padraig McGroggan accounting for 11 of his 20 markers in that period as the Drogheda men eked out a 43-41 lead.

In the third period it was Robert Sullivan’s turn to take centre stage as he dominated all defenders by exploding for 15 of his team-high 22 points and in the final quarter Wolves launched a barrage of threes to put the game to bed. DROGHEDA WOLVES: Robert Sullivan 22 points, Padraig McGroggan 20, Ciaran McGroggan 11, Andrius Andreas 11, Rafa Ruiz Martínez 10, Nerijus Saltonas 10, Liam Woods 2.

AN extremely busy spell of matches for Drogheda Wolves’ Under-18 Girls continues this Tuesday as they host Cavan Eagles in a top-of-the-table clash in St Mary’s DS (tip-off 7.30pm).

It’ll be the side’s third outing in the space of five days, after mixed fortunes at the weekend.

On Friday night they played host to Letterkenny Blaze in what turned out to be a cracking game, with Wolves looking for revenge following a 15-point defeat in Donegal back in October.

Letterkenny set about doing the same again as they ran up 11 points before Wolves got their first score, but gradually the Drogheda girls worked out how to beat their opponents’ press and by end of the first quarter the visitors only led 22-16.

Nevertheless, Wolves lost the second quarter too and trailed by nine points at half-time, but as the game went on the intensity and success of Wolves’ defence against the free-scoring Letterkenny team was telling.

The effort from Ava Prendergast, Nikola Busa, Abby Rice and Ciara Ni Criosta alongside Kate Kelly was impressive and Kelly was equally impressive at the other end, adding 22 points to her team’s tally.

Heading into the final quarter Wolves still trailed by eight, but the squeeze on their opponents was ratcheted up and amazingly the teams were level with just two and a half minutes to play.

Wolves pushed to go ahead on three different occasions, but unfortunately came away without the scores they wanted and with just three seconds remaining and Blaze leading 68-65 a fine three-point attempt by Prendergast to force overtime just caught the back of the rim.

Noel Kierans’ team also made a sluggish start in Saturday’s game against Navan and the Meath side were right in contention until the final quarter when Ava Prendergast, Ome Esajobor and Zeina Khattab got the scoreboard moving to lead Wolves to a 61-38 win.

Prendergast top-scored with 19 points and Esajobor (10 points) was perfect on her shooting too as Wolves turned a 30-21 half-time lead into a comfortable win to maintain their North East League top-of-the-table position.

Following tonight’s game there’s more action for other Under-18 girls at the weekend as Carrick Cruisers travel for a 4pm tip-off at St Marys DS on

Saturday, and then on Sunday Wolves travel to Dungannon to take on Tyrone Towers at 11am.

Meanwhile, Wolves Under-14 Girls continued their good form with a 48-15 home win over Navan Cougars on Saturday.

Abbie Hickey Granfield was in top form in the first quarter, which finished 17-4, but the second quarter was more even and Wolves led 19-11 at half-time.

The girls held their nerve under the steady captaincy of Sophia Ricourt and won the second half 29-4, with Hickey Granfield leading the way with 23 points overall. The other scores were evenly distributed, with O’Brien scoring eight points, Grennan five, Rogers, Dixon, Carr, Ricourt and Ryan two each and Soken and Nulty each helping themselves to one point from the free throw line.