FloMAX Liffey Celtics weather huge test to go joint-top while Garvey’s Tralee Warriors’ revival continues

FloMAX Liffey Celtics prevailed 66-65 in the face of a huge challenge by Utility Trust St. Paul’s in Leixlip on Saturday to move level with SETU Waterford Wildcats at the top of the Women’s Super League, albeit having played one game more, while in Men’s Super League, Garvey’s Tralee Warriors’ resurgence continued with a 95-68 road win over Templeogue in the National Basketball Arena. 

FloMAX Liffey Celtics rejoined SETU Waterford Wildcats at the top of the Women’s Super League table heading into the new year, but only after scraping past a huge challenge from Utility Trust St. Paul’s to edge a 66-65 victory in Leixlip Amenities Centre on Saturday.

Underway at Leixlip Amenities ⛹️‍♀️

10:00 Q1 | FloMAX Liffey Celtics - Utility Trust St. Paul's#BISL | #BITV pic.twitter.com/Kwn0rwDYom

— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) December 28, 2024

Mathilde Diop thought she had forced overtime, but she was adjudged to have just overstepped the three-point line with her last-gasp effort, and the resulting deuce was not enough to see the visitors draw level.

While the homeside struggled offensively in the second half, carding just 23 points in that period, their defence again saw them prevail, Eboni Williams, Áine O’Connor, Rachel Huijsdens and Sorcha Tiernan mopping up a combined 28 rebounds.

Tiernan also came away with a game-high 18 points, while Kate O’Flaherty drained four crucial threes to help counter the 17 apiece that Gracen Kerr and Diop served up for St. Paul’s.

“Our offense was a bit stagnant in the second half” admitted Karl Kilbride, FloMAX Liffey Celtics head coach. “St. Paul’s are big and physical and their record doesn’t reflect how good they are.

“I thought we played really well defensively. I thought we did a really good job of boxing out there in the second half, but the second-chance points really hurt us in the first half.

“We missed a bunch of layups. We probably had 12 or 14 points of layups that we left behind us there, but we’re happy that we got through” he added.

Gurranabraher Credit Union Brunell avenged their loss to Midlands Park Portlaoise Panthers on the opening weekend of the season when they emerged victorious from the return fixture 69-53 in Parochial Hall on Saturday night.

A big third quarter, in which they outscored their guests by 14, sent the Cork side on their way to victory, Deaja Richardson chalking up 17 points, while Trinity Hudson and Kelly Sexton, between them, bagged 19 rebounds and eight steals.

The victory was made all the more sweet for the Brunell faithful at the sight of Edel Thornton marking her return to action with an 11-point haul, as the Ireland senior captain works her way back from an ACL injury.

Catalyst Fr. Mathews made it back-to-back wins by way of an 85-58 success away to University of Galway Mystics.

The visitors had four players in double figures, including Grainne Dwyer and Kyra White on a combined 37, and even a game-high 28 by Keiarra Rivers for Galway was not enough to haul the hosts back into contention.

 

Garvey’s Tralee Warriors’ revival in Men’s Super League continued as they ran out 95-68 winners over Templeogue in the National Basketball Arena.

"We started well, that was the main thing." 🗣️

Hear from Garvey's Tralee Warriors Head Coach @coachdowling1 after today's road win against Templeogue 👇 pic.twitter.com/tmq9ukRa45

— Basketball Ireland (@BballIrl) December 28, 2024

Looking to follow up on victories over Flexachem KCYMS and defending champions, Griffith College Éanna in order to keep the heat on leaders Killester, Tralee served up big second and third-quarter runs on Saturday that saw them turn a one-point deficit into a 35-point lead heading into the fourth.

Immanuel Allen and Tavias Fagan did total 49 points for Templeogue, but it was not enough to seriously trouble Tralee, who saw four players finish up in double digits, among them, Rapolas Buivydas (20) and Brandon Mahan (16), the latter also carding 12 rebounds, five assists and four steals.

“It was a very good team performance” said John Dowling, Garvey’s Tralee Warriors head coach.

“We shared the ball really well and played some real lock-down defence, which gave us a good margin going into the second half, so I’m very happy with that” he added.

Max Cooper drained two from the free-throw line with four seconds remaining to see Belfast Star make it over the line for an 83-82 win over Irish Guide Dogs Ballincollig @MTU in Newforge Sports Complex on Saturday.

Those late buckets took his tally to 26 on the night, which together with the 21 posted by Darweshi Hunter, went a long way to seeing the homeside end a five-game winning streak in the league for Ballincollig, whose own Todd Wolfe emerged the game’s top scorer on 29 points.

 

In Men’s Division One, South Conference leaders, Limerick Celtics outgunned Maigh Cuilinn by 17 points in the opening quarter on their way to a 95-79 win on the road that extends their perfect league run to 12 games.

Mater Private Malahide had to go to double overtime to clinch a 111-107 victory over Joels Dublin Lions in Malahide Community School on Saturday evening.

SETU Waterford Vikings ended a run of six defeats after they beat Killarney Cougars 88-77 in SETU Arena, while Drogheda Wolves had four players on or in excess of 20 points as they recorded a 122-70 success against Team NorthWest in Ballymakenny College.

 

In Women’s Division One, McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles extended their perfect run to nine games after they carded a 75-48 triumph over Cleveland Rockets in Virginia Show Centre on Saturday evening.

Oblate Dynamos’ Adia Brisker matched the game-high 31-point tally that Ciara Wheeler put up for Abbey Seals Dublin Lions to help see her side record an 90-84 win in their Dublin derby in Inchicore.