BIDL Women - National League Plate Final - Garvey's Tralee Warriors v Glanmire BC - Friday 11th April at 6.00pm
Coach: Caitriona Collins
Asst. Coaches: Tomás O'Hanlon and Linda Raymond
In the inaugural season of the competition, Garvey's Tralee Warriors Womens side have made it through to contest a National League Plate Final when they take on Glanmire BC on Friday evening at Basketball HQ. The Warriors Women became the fourth team in the Tralee Warriors camp when they entered the new League this season.
They started their campaign in impressive fashion with a win away to Tipperary Knights followed by home wins against Brunel, St. Paul's Killarney and Titans. Defeats at home to Fr. Mathews and away to both St. Mary's Castleisland and their opponents on Friday ruled them out of qualification for the League final. However, a Plate semi final trip to face Cluntech Kilkenny Stars proved successful as they booked their ticket to Tallaght with a 45-38 win and a Final meeting with Glanmire.
The Warriors captain Holly O'Brien has led the team from the front averaging 20 points per game with great all-court coverage from Lucy O'Donnell, Priya O'Donovan, Aisling Counihan, Niamh Collins, Sorcha Casey, Grace Lucid and Claire O'Mahony and Emily Flynn.
The Cork side on the other hand have one more win to their name from the Group stage of the competition and they secured their place in the Plate Final with a 58-44 win over Portlaoise Panthers.Glanmire have threats all over the court with Abby Furlong, Roisin Quirke, Lauren Crean Hickey and Mia Finnegan in particular will need some extra defensive attention from the Warriors.
The League form favours Glanmire but this is a one-off winner take all game at the National Basketball Arena and a fantastic opportunity for the Warriors Womens team to mark a memorable first season by capturing a National League title in Tallaght.
The BIDL Warriors Womens squad with Kevin McCarthy from Garvey's at the official launch of the team in November
BIDL Men - Garvey's Tralee Warriors v Limerick Celtics - Saturday 12th April at 12.00pm
Head Coach: Rick Leonard
Asst. Coach: Ryan Leonard
The Warriors BIDL Men are looking for back to back titles in the competition which was launched just last season. Twelve months ago they defeated Carrick Cruisers 86-70 in the final to win the very first BIDL Mens title with an MVP performance from Aaron Fleming scoring 22 points headlining the Warriors winning performance. The Warriors had to fend off a third quarter comeback from the Monaghan side before prevailing by 16 in the end.
This season they have shown no mercy to any of the sides they met in Conference 1 of the League clocking up a perfect 8 from 8 record in the group stage of the competition. They have seen off Merry Monk Ballina, Maree, Mayo Meteors, Fr. Mathews, Shannon Jets and Limerick Sports Eagles as well as their opponents this weekend Limerick Celtics.
The Warriors overpowered the Limerick side in Crescent Comprehensive at the end of January and now face the Celtics in what promises to be a tougher examination with silverware at stake. Statisically, the Tralee side look to have a slight advantage with their average points per game of +19 to Celtics +14. The team is backboned by Warriors Super League players past and present with Josh Osayanrhion and Olaf Michalczuk doubling up with U20s duties to lead the attack. Aaron Fleming, the MVP from last years final, hit 20 in the semi final and there are scoring threats also from his brother Padraig, James Fernane, Dan Bowler, Steven Bowler and Zygi Kaletka.
The Warriors will be familiar with the Celtics side as most of them also played in the U20 League so they will be wary of the likes of Cian Gleeson, Martin Frawly, Matthew Barry, Sean Ryan, Eoghan Donaghy and particularly Philip Kearney who averages 25 points per game.
The Warriors saw off the challenge of Phoenix Wolves in the semi final two weeks ago by 74-64 while Limerick Celtics came out of a tough last four clash with Trinity College, winning in Oatlands College by 69-64.
Rick Leonard's side have every right to be confident going into the final but Limerick Celtics will provide a bigger test than they did earlier in the season and the expectation is that the result will be a lot closer than the 24 point winning margin in January.
The Warriors BIDL Mens side that captured the 2024 League title in Tallaght
Mens U20 - National League Final - Garvey's Tralee Warriors v Titans - Sunday 13th April at 10.30am
Head Coach: Luke O’Hea
Asst. Coach: Brian Boyle
Garvey's Tralee Warriors can achieve a historic three in a row if they can negotiate a way past keen rivals Titans of Galway in what promises to be a cracking U20s League Final on Sunday morning in Tallaght. The Warriors won their first title against the Galway side two seasons ago in a memorable decider that went right down to the wire. Twelve months later the Warriors repeated the feat with a win over Éanna in another terrific final last season. Now Luke O'Hea's team are on the brink of a third title in as many years but face a thorough examination of their League winning credentials when they take to the court against Titans early on Sunday.
The Warriors won 5 out of 6 in the Group stage of the League with their only blemish a final round loss away to Neptune. The Warriors were understrength that night but the loss ultimately cost them a home semi final after they had seen off Phoenix BC from Belfast in the quarter final. They then had to travel to Éanna for a semi-final meeting with the side they had beaten in the final last year, for a place in the decider. It proved to be a true test for the Warriors in a brilliant contest, with the Dublin side edging ahead by 90-87 inside the final minute. In the end, it came down to a single game winning moment from Olaf Michalczuk with a stunning three point score to level the game before 16 year old Ryan Sheehy knocked down three clutch free to see out the win.
They now face a Titans side who came through their Group phase with an identical 6 wins from 7 record with their only defeat coming at home to Merry Monk Ballina. After accounting for UCD Marian, the Galway outfit won out in a heavyweight clash with Limerick Celtics in the other semi final for the right to take on the defending champions this weekend. Titans are a big physical team with plenty of weapons to keep the Warriors honest including the likes of Luke Herrick, Eoin Pottito, Declan Gbingie, Victor Tashev and Fortune Igbokwe.
The Warriors will again be looking to Josh Osayanrhon and Olaf Michalczuk to lead the line with Evan Boyle, Ryan Sheehy, Jamie Burke, David Lucid, Paddy Lucid, Brian O'Donnell, Brayden Pierce, Oisin McGibney and Aaron Nolan set to take their places in the rotations. Osayanrhion and Michalczuk in particular have been in outstanding form and a repeat of Michalczuk's show stopping performance scoring 33 points including 8 three pointers in last years final would go a long way to helping the Warriors to a third title in a row. Titans will have other plans for the outcome on Sunday as they will be looking to avenge the defeat to the Warriors in the final of two seasons ago. It is beautifully set up for what promises to be a cracking final.
