Venue: Mercy Mounthawk, Tralee
Date: Sunday, November 2

Tralee Magic hosted Round Two of the inaugural Basketball Ireland U18 National League on Sunday, welcoming St Mary’s, St Paul’s, and Boyne Warriors to Mercy Mounthawk for a full day of competitive basketball.

Suppprts witnessed a high standard of effort, teamwork, and determination from all four teams.
Magic made the most of home advantage, recording two wins from two to move to 4–0 and remain joint top of Group 2 alongside Limerick Celtics.

🏀 Game 1: Tralee Magic 51 – 46 St Mary’s (Castleisland)

The day opened with a classic Kerry contest between two sides who know each other well. St Mary’s struck first, using their inside presence through Ruby Horgan and Ruby O’Connell to edge ahead early, before Magic settled into rhythm.

Anna O’Sullivan and Priya O’Donovan combined for a 10–2 run to end the first half, swinging the momentum. The second half was tightly fought, featuring five lead changes, before Magic’s composure from the line proved decisive.

Priya O’Donovan led with 17 points, attacking relentlessly and showing her trademark leadership. Anna O’Sullivan (13 pts) balanced control and shot creation, while Aimee Turner (10 pts, 5/6 FT) worked tirelessly inside. Emily Flynn (8 pts) and Muireann Teahan (3 pts) supported with steady defence and movement.

Lauren Lawlor gave valuable minutes off the bench, applying defensive pressure on the perimeter and helping to keep Mary’s ball-handlers under control in key spells. Sophie Mitchell added energy late in the third quarter, battling on the boards and disrupting passing lanes as Magic protected their slim lead.

Magic’s 80% free-throw efficiency proved crucial against St Mary’s 25%, sealing a composed 51–46 win.

🏀 Game 2: Boyne Warriors 24 – 29 St Paul’s

The second fixture featured two determined sides searching for their first league win. Both defended well early, keeping scoring tight (10–7 at halftime).
 St Paul’s found rhythm in the third through Clodagh O’Sullivan and Ciara O’Sullivan, whose combined 16 points created a decisive cushion. Boyne worked hard but couldn’t close the gap, and Paul’s claimed a deserved 29–24 victory.

🏀 Game 3: St Mary’s 61 – 21 Boyne Warriors

St Mary’s responded strongly in their afternoon game, moving the ball efficiently and scoring across the roster.
 Boyne, to their credit, continued to compete, showing improvement in defensive structure and shot creation, but St Mary’s depth saw them pull clear for a 61–21 result.

🏀 Game 4: Tralee Magic 35 – 26 St Paul’s (Killarney)

The final game of the day brought another Kerry derby — a slower, physical encounter where defence dictated the flow.

St Paul’s edged the opening quarter 8–5, before Magic adjusted with a 13–4 second-quarter surge built on tighter help defence and more patient half-court offence. From there, Tralee controlled the tempo, limiting Paul’s to 8 points in the third quarter and maintaining a two-possession cushion to the finish.

Priya O’Donovan led the way with 9 points, attacking gaps and setting the tone on defence. Aimee Turner (8 pts, 4/6 FT) dominated the boards, while Emily Flynn (8 pts, 2/2 FT) was composed under pressure and found space for key mid-range shots. Evie O’Sullivan added 6 pts with strong drives to the basket, and Anna O’Sullivan (4 pts) steadied the backcourt, guiding the offence through heavy defensive pressure.

Lauren Lawlor once again provided vital defensive minutes, using her size to protect the lane and box out effectively in the second half. Sophie Mitchell was active on both ends, contesting rebounds and making quick outlet passes that helped Magic control tempo.

For St Paul’s, Clodagh O’Sullivan led with 15 points (two 3-pointers), supported by Ciara O’Sullivan (7 pts) and Naoise O’Connor (4 pts).

Magic committed just six team fouls to Paul’s sixteen and made nine free throws to the visitors’ three — a testament to their control and discipline. The final score, 35–26, secured a perfect home weekend.

📊 League Standings & Player Highlights

After Round Two, Tralee Magic sit second in Group 2 on a 4–0 record, level with Limerick Celtics.

Two Magic players feature among the league’s top individual performers:
 💫 Aimee Turner – #2 in Free Throw Leaders (75% efficiency vs league avg 44%)
💫 Anna O’Sullivan – #9 in Two-Point Scoring Leaders (10 pts from 2-pointers vs league avg 3.5)

Both have been consistent across the season, contributing to Magic’s strong start.

💙 Acknowledgements

Tralee Magic would like to thank the visiting teams for travelling, the referees and table officials for their professionalism, and the many parents and volunteers who helped organise and run the event.
 Special mention goes to Abbie Crowley, sidelined through injury but a constant presence on the bench, supporting her teammates throughout the day.

It was a long but rewarding day of basketball — well played, well organised, and full of small moments that reflected the steady progress of this young group.

💙 Tralee Magic – Proud, Grounded, and Growing Together. 💙