It has been a busy few weeks in the club as the season gets underway and many teams having their first league games.

Our u18 girls have qualified for the National Cup quarter finals. In the qualifiers they beat Ballincollig 47-45 which was a super game and very intense as the team only travelled with seven players. They then got ready to play hot favourites DCU who had beaten Ballincollig by 50 points. Tralee were quick out of the blocks and lead for the first two quarters in a very physical game. Imperials lost by a basket to a very strong team. The coaches were very proud of the girls, they played superb and they couldn’t have asked any more from them. They squad that put up a huge fight in the qualifiers were Rachel Kilgallen, Mary O’Connell, Abi Casey, Lara Flynn, Ciara Rath, Gabrielle O’Brien and Muire Kingston.

At very short notice and with only one training session behind them our U14 Girls Team 1 travelled to Cork for Fr. Matthew’s U14 preseason tournament. They played their group games against St. Mary’s Castleisland and Malahide and though they didn’t get the wins they performed well and scores were close enough in both games. Their playoff game against Limerick Celtics was down to the wire and they missed out by just a basket in the end. An encouraging if slightly rusty start to the season and a great team building exercise for all.

Our u12 girls T1 took part in the St. Paul’s Invitational Girls Blitz in Kilcummin. It was their first competitive outing together as a newly formed team. The girls were up against it with their first match against a very strong St. Paul’s side but they came back from that defeat to win their next match against Fr. Matthew’s from Cork in a very tight encounter. They lost to St. Joseph’s from Duagh in their third match. Well done to the girls who won the plate final against Fr. Matthew’s. The team showed great improvement as the day progressed.

U13 boys recently travelled to Cork for a tournament. They acquitted themselves very well and demonstrated all the skills they have been working on in training.

U14 boys T2 had a great challenge game with our own u12 boys T1 to get them ready for the start of their season.

Our Senior Academy boys and girls had their first blitz of the season in Mounthawk where both teams played St. Mary’s. They played very well and displayed great team work and skill.

Recent results include:

U14 Girls T2 48-38 win away to Rathmore

U12 Girls T2 played St. Mary’s as part of their recent Hoops4Hospice event, which Imperials were delighted to support.

They got their first win of the season at home vs Caherciveen (32-14)

U12 Girls T1 lost away to St. Paul’s in their first division 1 match on Saturday October 12th. The girls got off to a good start going in level at the end of Q1 at 8 points each. St. Paul’s dominated in Q2 and built up a considerable lead without reply from our girls. The girls put in a valiant performance in Q3 and Q4 in spite of three players carrying injuries. Final score 14-38 to St. Paul’s.

Well done to Niamh Collins who played on the SouthWest team that competed in the finals of the u15 BIPPS in UL.

Darragh ‘Skinny’ O’Hanlon has been busy up at our Academy and going around to the juvenile teams working with players and coaches.

Tralee Imperials hosted Demons u12, u14 and u16 boys teams on 20th October. There was a great buzz on Sunday morning up at the ITT Kerry Sports Academy as the games took place across the three courts. Thank you to all the parents who baked and made sandwiches for the teams.

U20 Warriors got their National League campaign underway vs Demons. Tralee Imperials are well represented on the panel by Dáire Kennelly, Philip Corkery, David Burke, James Friel, Zygi Kaletka, Leeroy Odiahi, Tristan Raymond, Raul Venczel and David Goreanskii. They played in front of a large crowd in the Complex. It was a very competitive game but Demons got the win this time (87-96).

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