National Cups review

Garvey’s Tralee Warriors defeated EJ Sligo AllStars 105-81 in the first round of the InsureMyHouse.ie Pat Duffy National Cup. Garvey’s Tralee Warriors will next meet Bright St. Vincent’s at home in the quarter final. The Warriors had to regroup after their loss to Killorglin and without the services of the injured Daniel Jokubaitis produced a determined performance to get back to winning ways in front of the biggest crowd of the season.

The Warriors simply bolted out of the traps and with a stunning offensive attack on the Sligo board with Ryan Leonard and Jarvis Doles combining for 11 points before Jamie Hayes opened the visitors account four minutes into the contest. Virgin Media MVP Doles was in range again with his sixth score of the quarter to push the Warriors 23-10 up, with a hat trick of scores from Giorgi Tvalabeishvili keeping Sligo just about in touch. Tom Child found the target from distance for the visitors but Darragh O’Hanlon replied in kind not once but twice and when Rap Buivydas added his name to the scoresheet and Leonard did likewise, the Warriors had a thoroughly deserved 33-13 lead at quarter time.

The Warriors continued their offensive in the second with Cian O’Sullivan adding a quick fire seven points and a double from Doles put the Warriors 28 point up. The Sligo resistance came in the form of scores from Hayes and Oisin O’Reilly from the line and beyond the arc but when Eoin Quigley, Leonard and O’Hanlon were all on target to push the hosts lead out to 33. Williams Jnr., Tvalabeishvili and Christian Williams chipped away at the sizable gap but efforts from O’Hanlon and Leonard from inside and out had the Warriors 64-29 up at half time.

A technical on the Sligo bench early in the third allowed Jarvis Doles edge the Warriors further ahead and when Leonard and O’Sullivan were on the mark again the hosts threatened to put the contest beyond the Sligo reach. However to their credit, the visitors dug in to add the next 11 points to leave 30 between the sides midway through the quarter but when Jarvis Doles got two open looks to arc in identical threes, the Warriors were all but out of sight. Sligo quickly added another unanswered 11 points through Child, Christian Williams and Cian Lally but Doles and Johnny Williams hit 4 from 4 from the line to leave the Warriors 82-53 up at the end of the third.

The final quarter saw Kieran Donaghy open his account early on and when O’Sullivan hooked in from close range and Leonard hit his third three of the night, the Warriors restored their 30 point lead. Sligo to their credit kept plugging away and Williams Jnr., O’Reilly and Christian Williams together fired in the next 14 points in a row from play. John Dowling then introduced Jack Tobin, Zigi Kaletka and Olaf Michalczuk to the game and to delight of the Warriors fans, all three added their names to the scoresheet, with Michalczuk’s three pointer ensuring that every player on the Warriors team sheet scored on the night. Christian Williams and John Williams Jnr. continued to look for scores late on for Sligo but this simply put a slightly better look to the final score line of 105-81.

Scorers:
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors: Jarvis Doles 29, Ryan Leonard 23, Cian O’Sullivan 11 Johnny Williams 11
EJ Sligo AllStars: John Williams Jnr. 23, Christian Williams 16, Giorgi Tvalabeishvili 11

Alan Cantwell reports

Warriors Coach John Dowling says that the defensive effort laid the foundation for the win and described it as the most complete performance for a number of seasons

He says the focus now moves to three tough road trips beginning next Saturday away to Belfast Star with former Warriors Dre Jackson lying in wait

Sligo Coach Shane O'Meara says the loss to Killorglin was the incentive Tralee needed for their performance and says his side could not live with the Warriors offensive effort

It is back to National League duty next weekend with Garvey’s Tralee Warriors facing one of the toughest trips of the season to take on Belfast Star, the only unbeaten team in the League. Belfast Star also negotiated their way to the Cup quarter final after accounting for Éanna in Dublin to enhance their status as the only team in the League without a loss this season.

Tip off at the De La Salle College in Belfast on Saturday next is 5.00pm.

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