It feels a little early to be making bold statements, but Trinity Meteors are now three games into life as a new club and are still yet to taste defeat. Their latest win, a 77-73 triumph over Limerick Celtics in the Sports Centre last night, was as close as they have come to being overturned, in a game full of offensive intent from both sides, but in the end Trinity proved just clinical enough to claim a victory that keeps them top of Division 1 in the National League.
In a game that could in truth have gone either way, Trinity will be thankful for their fruitful start, which helped them to an early advantage and set in train a lead that would eventually see them over the line. In the first quarter, the hosts looked particularly sharp on the fast break against a Celtics side who looked thin at the back, with Simone Hobdy continuing her rich vein of form with a number of layups and Ciara Flaherty quickest to several rebounds. A silly error with seconds to play in the first quarter allowed Francesca Frazier the opportunity to narrow the gap for Celtics, but in truth, Trinity did not look especially troubled.
In the second period, however, Celtics emerged looking a different side. Tighter in defence and now taking the chances that came their way – and with Jenny Morrison beginning to exert greater influence over proceedings – they began to take the game to Meteors, playing some superb basketball at times. For Trinity, Hobdy was the surest route out of defence, and intelligent play from Rebecca Rabeiro allowed them to keep the scoreboard ticking over, but the visitors were looking increasingly threatening as an entertaining game reached its halfway point.
Taylor Williams was unerring for Celtics, and it was from a hatful of superb free throws that Celtics took the lead for the first time. Both sides, now, looked good offensively, and it seemed the game would be decided by ruthlessness at the basket and discipline in general play. A number of free throws for Meteors rendered Celtics head coach Tony Hehir apoplectic, as tensions ratcheted up a notch. Katie Garton, for Trinity, provided a cool head with some composed shooting.
As the game entered its final quarter Trinity were leading 63-54, but it didn’t take long for Celtics to redress the scoreboard’s balance, and with seven minutes to go just three points separated the sides. Laura Stapleton for the visitors was everywhere, the catalyst for so much of her side’s attacking play, and an inevitably accurate three-pointer from Williams put the visitors into the lead with minutes remaining.
If, however, it briefly seemed that Meteors had run out of ideas offensively – after Frazier moved the visitors into a four-point lead from the free throw line – then with the pressure firmly on they made folly of this idea. Some silky interplay between Rabeiro and Flaherty opened up the space for the latter to sneak in for an excellent layup, and moments later Fiona Meany landed an equaliser. Moments before, it had seemed the game might slip out of Trinity’s grasp, but after quickfire baskets from Rabeiro and Katie Kilbride Trinity were back in the lead and not looking likely to lose it.
A free throw from Williams appeared more a consolation prize than anything for the visitors, and when Kilbride replied with a free throw seconds from the end, the doubts were exorcised and Trinity Meteors were celebrating a victory that keeps them perched atop the league and maintains a formidable opening to the season for a club still in its infancy.
