Few people have made a greater contribution to cricket in Ireland, both on and off the field, than Alan. After a towering schoolboy career he was part off a YMCA team that went from a struggling club to 17 senior trophies in an eight year span from 1986-1994. In all he made 529 appearances, taking 498 wickets and making 15,046 runs.

The Irish selectors called him up just after his 20th birthday and he was still there 13 years and a then-record 121 caps later. As an all-rounder he scored 3,579 runs and took 51 wickets, and captained Ireland 35 times.

Since retiring he has been a board member of Cricket Ireland and become an insightful commentator on the game.