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Alan Cantwell on Garveys Tralee Warriors victory at the weekend…
Garvey’s Tralee Warriors reignited their Super League campaign in some style on Saturday night with a devastating display to overpower and overwhelm DCU Saints in the Phoenix Sports Complex in Carrickmacross.
The Warriors were simply in a different class to their opponents throughout the contest and led at the end of all quarters to run out comfortable winners by 104-60 in the end.
It was the perfect response from the Warriors following their indifferent display against DBS Éanna last week and was more a reflection of the Warriors unit particularly when they have players of the calibre of Paul Dick and Rap Buivydas back in action.
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From the outset the Warriors looked like a team on a mission and when Darragh O’Hanlon and Eoin Quigley both fired in from inside and out the Warriors were out to an early 10-4 lead.
Charlie Coombes, Martins Provizors and veteran Michael Bonaparte were keeping Saints in the game early on but when Paul Dick, Keith Jumper, Rap Buivydas and Quigley hit four straight scores the visitors were 12 ahead.
Bonaparte again kept the Warriors honest but Jonathan Lawton announced his arrival into the game with a score followed by identical threes to see the Warriors lead by 26-12 at the end of the first.
The second quarter saw the Warriors unleash a breathless and at times breath-taking offensive attack on the DCU Saints basket.
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The Tralee side amassed a stunning 32 points in the quarter with 9 different scorers hitting the target.
Daniel Jokubaitis began the onslaught and when Buivydas, Jumper and Paul Dick followed suit the Warriors led by 20. Lawton, Quigley, O’Hanlon, Pa McCarthy and Kieran Donaghy joined in and with the only meaningful resistance from the Saints coming from Bonaparte and Provizors the League champions were out to an unassailable 62-25 lead at half time.
The Warriors maintained their relentless offensive effort in the third headlined by six three pointers from Quigley, Paul Dick and four stunning efforts from Lawton each one better than the next. Bonaparte and Provizors were battling hard to give the Saints fans something to cheers but by three quarter time the Warriors lead was out to 87-38.
Paul Dick continued to torment the Saints defence early in the final quarter but to the hosts credit they continued to seek out scores to put a more reasonable look on the score and when Bonaparte, Kevin Lacey, Dominic Phillipi and Coombes were all in range the home side broke through the 50 point mark.
However Jokubaitis, McCarthy and Lawton pushed the Warriors 98-53 ahead with less than 3’00’’ on the clock. Jokubaitis then fired down a huge three to see the Warriors break through the 100-point barrier. When he added another score from inside for good measure the Warriors eased to victory by 104-60 in the end.
Scorers:
DCU Saints: Michael Bonaparte 29, Martins Provizors 13, Charlie Coombes 6
Warriors: Jonathan Lawton 30, Eoin Quigley 14, Keith Jumper 13
• Next up for the Warriors is a Super League showdown with rivals Griffith College Templeogue at the Tralee Sports Complex, a game that always delivers a classic encounter between two of the League’s heavyweights. Tip off next Saturday night is 7.30pm.
