The premier cup competition on the island starts fully this Saturday with 32 teams from across 4 unions battling it out to get into the hat for the draw to go through to the second round next month.
Phoenix and Pembroke saw off the challenges of Rush and Malahide in the preliminary round to take their place in the first round proper, and what a day of cricket awaits this Saturday.
Last year’s winners Waringstown face a home tie against Strabane. Waringtown Captain Kyle McCallan and his star-studded side will be eager to try and defend the title they lifted last September. Last year’s runners-up Instonians also start with a home-tie in what is arguably the feature match of the round against a YMCA side likely to include Trent Johnston. Instonians captain Eugene Moleon has found early season form as well, following his 6 wickets earlier in the week, and also a fast-bowling partner to boot in the South-Australian, Mick Delany.
The competition has also thrown up some mouth-watering ties in Dublin with Limavady and Donemana’s trips south to face Terenure and Pembroke being amongst the highlights. Elsewhere Derriaghy face the longest trip of the round by travelling to Cork to take on Cork County.
The good news for all is that Cricket Ireland’s new website will have ball-by-ball live coverage of four feature matches from below.
For more details go to www.cricketireland.ie and click live scoring on Saturday.
Round 1 (12 May, reserve 27 May)
• Cork County v Derriaghy
• Clontarf v Cork Harlequins
• Terenure v Limavady
• Phoenix v CSN
• Pembroke v Donemana
• The Hills v Bready
• Ballymena v Merrion
• Instonians v YMCA
• Lisburn v Leinster
• North Down v Fox Lodge
• Waringstown v Strabane
• Coleraine v Lurgan
• Creevedonnell v North County
• Glendermott v Railway Union
• Bonds Glen v CIYMS
• Brigade v Carrickfergus
Round 2 (9 June, reserve 24 June)
Round 3 (7 July, reserve 15 July)
Semi-Finals (4 August, reserve 12 August)
Final (1 September, reserve 2 September)
Preliminary Round
• Pembroke beat Malahide by 165 runs
Sydney Parade Sunday 29 April.
Pembroke 227-7 (50.0 overs T Lawson 89, R Kelly 39, A Eastwood 35*)
Malahide 62 (18.5 overs A Eastwood 5-23, B Whaley 3-10)
• Rush lost to Phoenix by 9 wickets (D/L)
Kenure Sunday 29 April.
Rush 210-9 (50.0 overs S Igbal 79, S Monks 40, C Cavanagh 3-28)
Phoenix 142-1 (21.0 overs MD Masud Ahmed 91*)
