The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Warriors beat Moycullen on the buzzer
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 73 Moycullen 70
GARVEY’S Tralee Warriors brought the house down at the Tralee Sports Complex last night when team captain Darren O’Sullivan landed a three pointer with just 6 seconds on the clock to secure an inspirational win against Moycullen in front an ecstatic home crowd.
The visitors will be bitterly disappointed having put themselves into position to see out the game with 60 seconds left but they reckoned without the improvisation of Trae Pemberton and the accuracy of O’Sullivan as the Warriors prevailed by 73-70 in a dramatic finale to an absorbing encounter.
Moycullen were making their first Super League appearance in Tralee and declared their intent to take the game to the Warriors from the outset as early scores from Paul Freeman and their American Brandon McGuire saw them take an early lead. Despite an opening three from Pa McCarthy and a Dusan Bogdanovic effort from under the board for the Warriors, Moycullen were suddenly 14-6 up. However four scores in a row from Donaghy, Bogdanovic and Quigley as well as Trae Pemberton’s opening three saw the hosts edge ahead. But two threes for Moycullen from captain James Loughnane and Patrick Lyons had the Galway side 20-17 ahead at quarter time.
The Warriors quickly shored up their defensive gaps early in the second and when Donaghy landed the first score of the quarter it triggered a scoring blitz by the home side punctuated only by scores from Joseph Tummon and Dylan Cunningham for Moycullen. Two from McCarthy and another from Darragh O’Hanlon saw the Warriors wrestle the lead back and when Bogdanovic, Goran Pantovic and Pemberton all hit scores and Quigley landed a three from distance the home side were 11 ahead.
Quigley and Pantovic converted doubles from the free throw line and could have been further ahead at half time but for a big three point effort from McGuire for Moycullen on the stroke of halftime. At the long break the Warriors led by 39-27.
In a complete reversal of fortunes for the sides in the third Moycullen dominated in offence just as the Warriors had done in the previous quarter. A relentless scoring spree saw McGuire, Freeman and Lyons all in range allied to a huge three point effort from Cunningham brought Moycullen to 40 points and with the Warriors only addition on the scoreboard coming from Bogdanovic the Warriors had let their 12-point quarter time advantage slip to just a single point mid way through the third.
Scores from Donaghy, Bogdanovic and a three apiece from Darren O’Sullivan and the second of the night for Pemberton in reply to scores from McGuire and a three from Lyons saw the home side back in front by 5. But when Freeman, Lyons and McGuire scored without reply Moycullen turned for home leading by 55-53.
The sides were back on level terms early in the fourth when Bogdanovic converted a rebound from close range and Pemberton scored with the extra. A fine three from Donaghy looked like the score to ignite the Warriors run down the stretch but it was Moycullen that seized the initiative and Cian Nihill launched a couple of threes with scores from inside by Lyons and Freeman, and a Cunningham three had the Galway side six up with three minutes left.
Pemberton and back to back scores from Quigley restored the balance for the Warriors but when Nihill landed two from the free throw line with 59 seconds on the clock it looked like the Warriors impressive home record at the Sports Complex was set to be undone.
However in a breathless final minute Pemberton drove to fire in a remarkable score and the sides were level yet again. With the game there for the taking it was Warriors captain Darren O’Sullivan that conjured the opportunity for the victory with a steal and when Pemberton spotted him in space O’Sullivan accepted the no look assist and calmly drilled the three to send the huge Tralee crowd into raptures.
With just six seconds on the clock Moycullen did manage to get a final shot away but when Pemberton secured the rebound the Warriors were home by 73-70 in the most dramatic of conclusions. SCORERS
WARRIORS: Trae Pemberton 16, Dusan Bogdanovic 13, Eoin Quigley 11
MOYCULLEN: Brandon McGuire 19, Patrick Lyons 13, Dylan Cunningham 10