Warriors feel full force of Swords Thunder

MEN’S SUPERLEAGUE Griffith College Swords Thunder 88 Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 59

FOLLOWING last week’s defeat at home to UCD Marian, Garvey’s Tralee Warriors endured another Super League setback this time away from home to Griffith College Swords Thunder in another disappointing and less than inspiring display at the ALSAA in Dublin last Saturday evening.

The Warriors were keen to make amends for an indifferent performance last week but with just Trae Pemberton with 24 and Kieran Donaghy with 18 offering any real offensive threat, the Tralee side struggled to deal with the relentless press adopted by their rivals. Swords Thunder, who were coming off the back of three straight defeats, were in no mood to allow their poor run of form to continue and after a tight opening quarter dictated the remaining three quarters in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.

Trae Pemberton opened the scoring for Warriors but it was Thunder that were quicker into their stride with Isaac Westbrooks, Alex Dolenko and Conroy Baltimore all in range early for the home side. Pemberton hit his first three of the night before Westbrooks and Dolenko pushed the hosts out to a 17-6 lead midway through the first. The introduction of Kieran Donaghy sparked the Warriors into action with an imposing display at both ends of the court. This, allied to Pemberton’s second three of the evening and a score from Goran Pantovic saw the Warriors eat into Thunder’s lead. A brilliant buzzer beater effort from Donaghy saw the visitors trail by just a single score, 21-19, at quarter time.

The Warriors late first quarter momentum was halted early in the second when Swords fired in scores from Travis Black and Luca Jovicic to push their lead out to 30-19 before Pantovic found the basket for the visitors. Dolenko and Pemberton traded threes before Westbrooks landed a score to leave 10 between the sides. The Warriors were then dealt a blow when Patrick McCarthy was forced off with an ankle injury and their luck did not improve for the rest of the quarter. Four unanswered scores from Charlie Coombes and Baltimore for Thunder saw them consolidate their advantage but a couple of threes from Pemberton and a Fergal O’Sullivan effort kept the Warriors just about in touch. However Dolenko was to have the last say in the first half with a huge three to see Thunder go to the long break leading 50-33.

Eoin Quigley and Donaghy were on the mark early in the third either side of a score from Westbrooks but what followed was a devastating scoring spree from Thunder that effectively decided the contest. Westbrooks, Coombes, Baltimore and Alex Lundquist helped themselves to 15 points without reply and suddenly Swords led by 70-38. The Warriors only resistance came from a Fergal O’Sullivan score and two free throws from Pantovic and when Coombes fired in for the hosts they led by 30 at three quarter time.

The Warriors produced a scoring rally at the start of the final quarter through Quigley, Pantovic, Pemberton, Dusan Bogdanovic and a three from captain Darren O’Sullivan but it was too little too late as Thunder continued to find the basket with some ease in the final minutes through Westbrooks, Dolenko and Coombes to eventually win by 29 points.

SCORERS

GRIFFITH SWORDS THUNDER: Charlie Coombes 22, Isaac Westbrooks 14, Alex Dolenko 13, Conroy Baltimore 13

GARVEY’S TRALEE WARRIORS: Trae Pemberton 28, Kieran Donaghy 18, Goran Pantovic 7

NEXT up for the Garvey’s Tralee Warriors is the visit of last season’s League champions Black Amber Templeogue including the likes of Jason Killeen, Mike Bonaparte, Neil Randolph and Lorcan Murphy next Saturday in what promises to be another evening of drama and excitement at the Tralee Sports Complex. Tip off, as usual, is at 8pm.