Alan Cantwell on Garvey’s Tralee Warriors win in Galway which sets up a thrilling weekend of action…

Garvey’s Tralee Warriors 93

Moycullen 82

Garvey’s Tralee Warriors have kept their hopes of Super League glory alive and well after yet another hard fought but ultimately deserved victory this time away to Moycullen.

As with C&S Neptune last Friday night, Moycullen were also fighting for their survivial in the top League and were always going to be a difficult proposition at the Kingfisher Arena in Galway.

However despite starting without one of their key shooters Fergal O’Sullivan, and losing the dynamic Kendall Williams to injury in the first quarter, the Warriors found a way to eke out hard earned but ultimately vital win with Eoin Quigley the undoubted star of the show with a stunning 32 points.

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The home side started brightly with captain Dylan Cunningham landing the first three of the afternoon but Kendall Williams and two from Dusan Bogdanovic edged Warriors ahead.

The Warriors were then hit with a hammer blow when their flamboyant all rounder Kendall Williams limped out of the game with a bad ankle injury.

The sharpshooting Isaiah Harris-Winn found the extra space was on the mark for Moycullen before some indiscipline by Warriors allowed Josh Marvesley and Paul Kelly hit three from six from the line.

Eoin Quigley sparked the Warriors response they require with a big effort from outside the arc but Kyle Cunningham hit back with two threes for the hosts. Bogdanovic and Jumper ended the quarter with a score apiece to see the Warriors lead 22-19.

Cian Nihill and Kelly wrestled the lead back for Moycullen early in the second but Quigley and Kieran Donaghy combined to push Warriors 5 ahead. Joseph Tummon, captain Cunningham and Harris-Winn had the Galway side back in front before the Warriors hit the home side for 9 with Darragh O’Hanlon firing in his first 3.

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Harris-Winn hit back in kind but Jumper and Paul Dick as well as another huge effort from Quigley had the Warriors 8 up 46-38 at the long break.

Moycullen cut loose early in the third with Cunningham, Kelly and Harris Winn hit the Warriors for fours threes.

Jumper and Quigley stemmed the flow with baskets from inside and when Donaghy added two from two and Darren O’Sullivan launched a three from the corner the Warriors eased ahead again.

Rap Buivydas and Jumper struck late in the quarter to give the Tralee side some comfort turning for home as they held a 70-54 advantage.

Just the Warriors felt they had the game at their mercy back came Moycullen again with 11 unanswered points to put the game right back in the melting pot.

Marvesley, Kelly Harris-Winn all hit big scores to keep the huge Warriors support base on the edge of their seats.

However the Warriors kept their nerve and with Quigley having one of his games of the season ending up with a game high of 32 points as he dominated the final quarter to hit scores from inside, outside and from the line.

Jumper joined in on the scoring stakes as did Bogdanovic as the Warriors led by 12 inside the final two minutes.

With Moycullen in foul trouble early they could do little to resist the Warriors offence and the visitors saw the game out with a number of trips to the line.

In the end the final score was a decent reflection of the game overall as the Warriors ensured that Super League 2018/2019 will go right down to the wire next weekend with two momumental clashes with title chasing rivals UCD Marian.

Scorers:

Warriors: Eoin Quigley 32, Keith Jumper 18, Dusan Bogdanovic 15

Moycullen: Paul Kelly 18, Dylan Cunningham 15, Isaiah Harris-Winn 14