SETU Waterford Wildcats hand FloMAX Liffey Celtics their first loss while Garvey’s Tralee Warriors extend unbeaten run

SETU Waterford Wildcats handed FloMAX Liffey Celtics their first loss of the 2024/25 Women’s Super League season, edging a 75-72 win in Mercy College on Saturday evening, while Garvey’s Tralee Warriors emerged from another double-game weekend in Men’s Super League with their unbeaten run still intact after they surmounted both Energywise Ireland Neptune (100-94) and Belfast Star (96-73) in Tralee Sports Complex.

 SETU Waterford Wildcats dished out a first defeat of the 2024/25 Women’s Super League season to FloMAX Liffey Celtics, edging the Leixlip side 75-72 in Mercy College on Saturday evening.

The hosts made the early running in this Week Four headliner, opening up a 16-point gap on their opponents who were without the services of the injured Alexis Tucker.

And despite solid scoring from Ciara Bracken (20 points), Sorcha Tiernan (19) and Hazel Finn (19) that helped haul Celtics back on to level terms with two minutes remaining, Wildcats did just enough to make it over the line.

Indeed, late free throws by Sarah and Kate Hickey, who combined for 35 points on the night, along with a timely bucket from the game’s top scorer, Ashia McCalla (25), helped see Waterford make it three wins on the bounce to draw level with their opponents and Killester at the top of the table.

“We’re absolutely delighted for the girls to get the win” said SETU Waterford Wildcats head coach, Jillian Hayes.

“It was a very hard-fought game. We started extremely well and we were cruising, but Liffey kept coming back.

“Overall we worked so hard as a team on defence to secure the win. We still have room to improve and lots to work on, but we are gelling together nicely as a team” she smiled.

Killester produced a big fourth-quarter comeback that saw them turn a seven-point deficit into a 73-68 victory away to Utility Trust St. Paul’s.

Eight points down the stretch by Samantha Haiby took her overall tally to 22, while Michelle Clarke and Ieva Bagdanaviciene each served up 13 to help the defending champions scrape over the line against their newly-promoted opponents, for whom Megan Ormiston mopped up a massive 21 rebounds, 18 of which were under her own boards.

Trinity Meteors bounced back from their loss to FloMAX Liffey Celtics the week before, carding a convincing 85-57 triumph over Catalyst Fr. Mathews in Coláiste Íosagáin.

The homeside ended the game with no less than six players in double figures, including Sarah Kenny who totalled 16 points and 14 rebounds, that helped counter the game-high 17 points put up by Fr. Mathews’ Aisling McCann on the night.

Even a big 29-point haul by Trinity Hudson was not enough to prevent Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell shipping an 88-72 home defeat at the hands of The Address UCC Glanmire on Sunday afternoon.

While Aine McKenna and Annaliese Murphy hit 41 points between them for the visitors, DelJanae Williams, Callie Cavanaugh and Lucy Walsh were key in containing the Brunell offence, as they soaked up a total of 37 rebounds.

A big third-quarter display, in which they outscored their opponents by 14, went a long way to seeing Midland Park Portlaoise Panthers run out 86-74 winners over University of Galway Mystics in St. Mary’s Hall on Sunday evening.

Lynn Tunnah proved a real thorn in the side of the visitors, striking from both sides of the arc for a 31-point total, while also linking up superbly with Alyssa Velles and Amy Dooley for a combined 36 rebounds as the hosts earned their second win of the young season.

Garvey’s Tralee Warriors extended their perfect start in this season’s Men’s Super League to six games as they beat Belfast Star 96-73 in their second tie of another double-game weekend in Tralee Sports Complex on Sunday afternoon.

Having gone clear at the top of the table two nights before when they edged out Energywise Ireland Neptune 100-94, John Dowling’s side were determined to remain out in front when they made the quick turnaround to face Belfast Star.

A big second-quarter performance in which they outgunned their opponents by 16 points set them on course for another win, with Daniel Jokubaitis and Brandon Mahan combining for 48 points on the day.

“We were very happy with our performance and delighted with the crowd we had today” said John Dowling, Garvey’s Tralee Warriors head coach. “I’m glad that we performed at the level that we’re capable of performing.

“Credit to Belfast, they really battled, but probably just ran out of steam at the end and the scoreline flattered us, but we’re happy with our performance and delighted the guys are trying to play in the right way” he added.

Killester brought Griffith College Éanna’s 15-game winning streak to an end after they served up an 84-80 defeat to their Dublin rivals in Coláiste Éanna on Friday night.

Kason Harrell and Paul Dick inflicted the bulk of the damage on Darren McGovern’s side with a combined 53 points and 15 rebounds that went a long way to seeing their side exact some measure of revenge for the loss to their Dublin rivals in the Super League Final back in April.

UCD Marian picked up their first win of the season as they edged out Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU 83-82 at home on Saturday night.

Jonathan Jean was off target only twice throughout the entire game, as he chalked up 32 points to help the Belfield side battle back from six down early in the fourth for the narrowest of wins.

A game-high 28 points by John Carroll, coupled with the 45 that Jonathan Brown and Jevonnie Scott amassed between them, propelled EJ Sligo All-Stars to a 99-92 win on the road against UCC Demons on Sunday evening. 

In Women’s Division One, McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles ended iSecure Swords Thunder’s winning start to the campaign, while extending their own to three games after they chalked up a 59-30 victory in ALSAA on Saturday evening. Limerick Celtics were taken to overtime by a tenacious Oblate Dynamos in Crescent College, but ultimately prevailed 101-98, while Cleveland Rockets produced a big fourth-quarter comeback to beat Moy Tolka Rovers 71-62 on the road on Sunday, earning their first win of the campaign.

In Men’s Division One, Limerick Celtics, Titans BC and ND Audit Portlaoise Panthers all extended their unbeaten starts to the season, the former storming to a 111-75 victory in their derby against Limerick Sport Eagles in Crescent College. Titans had just a point to spare as they edged a 69-68 win on the road against Maigh Cuilinn, while Portlaoise fought back from a slow start to beat Team NorthWest 75-68 in St. Mary’s Hall. Mater Private Malahide shipped their first loss of the campaign after they suffered a 90-82 reversal at home against Moy Tolka Rovers who followed that up with a 94-81 success against Team NorthWest on Sunday. Joels Dublin Lions finally got off the mark in Division One, winning out 95-91 against Carrick Cruisers. Another big derby saw Scotts Lakers Killarney dig out a 91-86 triumph over Killarney Cougars in Presentation Gym, while SETU Waterford Vikings recorded a 96-82 success against Tipp Talons in Carrickpherish Hall and Drogheda Wolves ran out 92-85 winners over Ulster University in the lone Friday night fixture in Jordanstown Sports Village.