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Alan Cantwell on Garvey’s Tralee Warriors’ defeat to UCD Marian in the top of the table clash on Saturday…
Dusan Bogdanovic lands a score against UCD Marian on Saturday night. Photo by Liam Ryan
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors hopes of regaining the lead on the Super League table fell short on Saturday night going down 86-83 to UCD Marian in a pulsating and dramatic encounter at the Sports Centre in Belfield.
The defeat allied to Swords Thunder’s win at home to Moycullen now sees the Warriors down to third place on the table.
The Tralee side will be rueing their 22 turnovers they offered to Marian in an uncharacteristically loose display but may also point to a number of big calls that did not go their way on the night.
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They will however need to immediately focus on another crucial battle next Saturday night at home to Swords Thunder as the League enters the serious business end.
Kieran Donaghy rises high against UCD Marian on Saturday night. Photo by Liam Ryan
Scott Kinevane opening the scoring for the hosts before threes from Dan James and Conor Meaney saw Marian take an early lead.
But Goran Pantovic stormed into the contest with three scores and a Darragh O’Hanlon three edged the Warriors ahead.
But the Tralee side was struggling with the accuracy of their offensive passing and James and Meaney both benefitted from turnovers to give Marian the initiative. Meaney added a three and UCD led by 16-11.
Trae Pemberton dropped in an effort from inside and out and when Pantovic found his range the sides were level.
Barry Drumm landed two free throws before Meaney and Matt Kelly exchanged scores with Fergal O’Sullivan and O’Hanlon and UCD led 24-22 at quarter time.
Fergal O’Sullivan drives to the basket against UCD Marian on Saturday night. Photo by Liam Ryan
After making the better start in the second quarter with Fergal O’Sullivan adding five to Dusan Bogdanovic’s effort from inside, the Warriors continued to make things difficult for themselves by needlessly turning the ball over to Marian including some uncharacteristic errors from Kieran Donaghy and Eoin Quigley.
James, Drumm, Kelly and JJ Llobera capitalised either side of Pemberton’s second three and the sides were level again.
James continued to torment the Warriors defence and despite scores from Quigley, O’Hanlon, Pantovic and Pemberton when Kelly added a three and Mike Garrow chipped in two free throws Marian led by three.
Goran Pantovic scores against UCD Marian on Saturday night. Photo by Liam Ryan
The quarter ended in some controversy when with just 0.5 seconds on the clock Marian managed to get a pass from the end line to Dan James in downtown territory and he duly drilled the shot to see UCD take a six point lead to the long break.
The Warriors players and coaching staff were understandably incensed as it defied belief that the score could have been executed in such a short fraction of time. That said UCD led 46-40 at half time.
James was back in range for Marian early in the third but Donaghy made up for some loose play in the first half by driving the Warriors back into the contest.
He fired in a three to cancel out a Garrow effort from the corner to leave seven between the sides. A Quigley effort and big three from Fergal O’Sullivan kept Marian within reach but two scores from Drumm had the UCD advantage out to eight.
Right on the buzzer Pemberton found an inch of space from the tight marking Drumm to step in a cut the deficit to a more manageable six as the sides turned down the stretch.
In an absorbing final quarter Donaghy continued his resurgence to land the opening score and Fergal O’Sullivan followed that with an impossible basket after a brave drive to the board.
Llobera negated both those scores with two in a row for Marian and when Garrow followed suit and James hit his fifth three of the night it looked like UCD had a clearer view of the finish line.
But Pantovic replied with two free throws and when Pemberton hit five from five from the line there was just four in it with 4 minutes on the clock.
The remaining minutes were perfectly set up for the Tralee playmaker to find the winning scores for the Warriors but in the next Marian offensive play Pemberton suffered an ankle injury and in a huge blow to the Tralee side took no further part in the game.
Marian seized the moment to pile on the pressure with scores from Marcowicz and James but the Warriors hit two tough but inspirational scores from Pantovic to leave one scoring play between the teams.
In a breathless finale, the Warriors foul count gave Marian the comfort of automatic free throws and James, Garrow and Drumm were flawless from the line.
At the other end Fergal O’Sullivan fired in two stunning threes to give the Warriors a slender hope in the dying seconds.
However despite a final Donaghy basket from under the board it was just not enough and Marian saw out the win by 86-83 in the end.
Scorers:
UCD Marian: Dan James 25, Barry Drumm 14, Conor Meaney 13, Mike Garrow 13
Warriors: Goran Pantovic 20, Trae Pemberton 18, Fergal O’Sullivan 18
The relentless Super League schedule continues for the Warriors next Saturday night when they face the team now in second place on the table, Griffith College Swords Thunder, in what promises to be another stern test.
The Warriors will be hoping that Trae Pemberton’s injury is not as bad as first feared and he will take his place to orchestrate affairs at the Complex next Saturday night. A bumper crowd is expected at the home of the Warriors with tip off at 8.00pm.
