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Its that time of year again folks with the Irish Senior and National Cups starting and already it has been hit by walkover controversies. Laois and Drummond have pulled out dont know the ins and outs for the resons I have been a bit busy the last couple of days so didnt see any news on it when I have read it then I will comment. So on to the Predictions
Irish Senior Cup - 25th May
Bready v Lisburn - Away Win
CIYMS v North County - Home Win
Carrickfergus v YMCA - Away Win
Coleraine v CSNI - Away Win
Glendermott v Rush - Away Win
Instonians v Cork County - Away Win (Shock of the Round)
Malahide v Muckamore - Home Win
Pembroke v Brigade - Home Win
The Hills v Ballyspallen - Home Win
OFF Pheonix v Eglinton
North Down v Donemana-Postponed
Irish National Cup - 25th May
Balbriggan v Co Kerry - Home Win
Ballymena v Bonds Glen - Home Win
Co Galway v Terenure - Away Win
Co Sligo v Ardmore - Away Win
Derriaghy v DLR County - Home Win
Killyclooney v Ballyhaunis - Home Win
Limerick v Ballaghaderreen - Home Win
Longford v Downpatrick - Home Win
Midleton v Knockharley - Away Win
North Kildare v Newbuildings - Away Win
Railway Union v Cork Harlequins - Away Win (Shock of the Round)
The Nedd v Templepatrick - Away Win
Anyone agree / disagree with me especially on the Shock of the Rounds predictions. Both Cork sides have started 4 from 4 in the MCU Region whilst Insts are 0 for 3 in NCU Premier and Railway Union 0 for 5 in the LCU Phase 1 Group A.
Good Luck to everyone playing, watching or umpiring this week and safe travels, if the weather plays ball we are in for some crackers.
Posted at 00:00 on Saturday 25/05/2019
What do you think Ed re Insts and CIYMS and would an All-Ireland Cup for Women be a good idea or would it be Leinster dominated (me being a Leinster man through and through apart from Rugby no interest)

Border league result.
Taverners beat Victoria by 9 wickets.
Victoria 101/5 Taverners 102/1.
Bonus point for Victoria for scoring over 100.

The other border league matches were postponed owing partly to Kevin O'Brien visiting Monaghan.

Ireland defeat the Afghans
Ireland bowlers produced a terrific performance at Stormont yesterday to oust Afghanistan. Paul Stirling and Skipper William Porterfield starred with the batting, but the bowlers were the real stars as Mark Adair and Boyd Rankin captured most of the wickers, and spinner Andy McBrine conceded only 17 runs in his 10 overs stint as an opener. However, the spectators fail to match their performance as barely a hundred hugged the boundary and perhaps another in the distant clubhouse. You have to ask why, as players need support, especially facing against the odds?
Dublin attendances have also declined in recent times, but Stormont was particularly poor. Was it the weather, as it was bitterly cold, was it poor marketing, or was it the high prices? Or was it the culmination of poor performances and the failure to win a World Cup place? However, if Cricket Ireland is seriously interested in promoting cricket in Ulster they should ask these questions and rectify them. But are they interested?
The spectators will have another chance to redeem their absence as the Afghans return tomorrow at the same venue 10-45am.

Border league fixtures for 22nd May
Monaghan v Dungannon,
Portadown v Victoria,
Waringstown v Clogher
Monaghan and Clogher have points on the board, Taverners and Waringstown are so far untested.

Border league results
There was a switch in the published fixtures.
Dungannon travelled Clogher.
Waringstown and Portadown had a day off.
Clogher 122 beat Dungannon 104 by 18 runs
Victoria 71 lost to Monaghan 182 by 111 runs
Format is 15 X 8 ball overs.

Great article on this site about Maghera CC, showing what can be done with passion and ambition.
We have played them in a couple of friendlies over the years, a great bunch of guys and cricket enthusiasts.
Everyone at TCC wishes them all the best for the future and keep up the good work.
Andy McCrea
Templepatrick CC

2019 Fixtures for Ireland Women
The confirmed fixture calendar for 2019 is:
26 May: Ireland Women v West Indies Women (YMCA CC, Dublin); T20I
28 May: Ireland Women v West Indies Women (Pembroke CC, Dublin); T20I
29 May: Ireland Women v West Indies Women (Pembroke CC, Dublin); T20I
3 July: Ireland Women v Zimbabwe Women (Oak Hill); 50-over
5 July: Ireland Women v Zimbabwe Women (Oak Hill); 50-over
7 July: Ireland Women v Zimbabwe Women (Oak Hill); 50-over
10 July: Ireland Women v Zimbabwe Women (Stormont); T20I*
12 July: Ireland Women v Zimbabwe Women (Bready CC); T20I*
14 July: Ireland Women v Zimbabwe Women (Bready CC); T20I*
* Matches will form part of three double-header events in conjunction with Ireland Men and Zimbabwe Men

Border league fixtures for 15th May

Clogher v Taverners (Portadown),
Waringstown v Dungannon,
Victoria v Monaghan

Thanks Mr C Boomer nice of you to comment on my thoughts re border league, I hope you are keeping up with your poetry as you should have went to a publisher and got these in to hard copy and any monies you got would have been worth it
Tell all up in Carrickfergus well done on their soccer team in regaining promotion to the top flight, I know one of the NCU umpires and Carrickfergus Womens player in Laura Caughey will be pleased as along with Mary Waldron of Ireland and Pembroke divides her time playing and umpiring. Both should be commended for their work in the sport

Keith re the Border league,
Alan C. usually puts the results of each game up here on the forum, your suggestion regards inclusion of further teams in the locality is a very positive idea, well worth looking into and something to build upon in the very near future.

Hi Ed
Sorry to have mentioned the Brexit word, it will not be spoke about by me ever again.
The Border League which I mentioned should it be the case it was to increase clubs would the NWCU, Connacht Cricket or even Dundalk, Knockharley and Ashbourne be considered if so it would possibly be a good thing with say festivals and some more funding from CI or Sport Ireland in south and its equivilent in the north for ground and building improvements. Also on this topic of The Border League where could I find results during the season will it be announced on the fourm or on a differing site.
On to Ireland Mens matters, I was very encouraged by the performance vs. England last week, Mark Adair had a decent knock on debut and the top 3 got starts along with Dockrell but overall 20 runs short in my mind, the wickets we took in the catching deepartment was brilliant but a pity we could not get the foot right on their necks. Josh Little pick of the bowlers but Murtagh and Dockrell were good in their eco figures.
Then Sunday was a case of after the Lord Mayors Show vs West Indies (a side capable of winning the 8 team World Cup with 2 qualifiers, that is not a World Cup in my mind) with 2 positives was 1 Kevin O'Briens 66, 2 the 4th wicket stand with Gary Wilson and but I felt if we had have lost by only 70-80 runs in chasing it would have felt not so bad. Fielding and missed catches cost us dear in the end
Nice to see the BBC showing the matches in the tri-series but still cant access this in the south, but yet in the IPA Pool there was no bother getting the Irish event in Belfast and English one in Bradford or the current E-Prix series. Cricket Ireland needs to bang heads between a stupid rift between BBC NI and RTE about cross border issues
On to the Irish Women it was great news re the 6 part time contracts being awarded and delighted to see a NCU representitive in the side being Naomi Matthews now of Merrion and formerly of Donaghclooney Mill and I see Cara Murray of Waringstown was included in a Senior Performance Squad and Amy Hunter of Insts in a Acadamy Squad, but surely why is Hannah Grieve overlooked again possibly the best player in the NCU
Predictions in Premier League 11th May
Carrickfergus v CSNI - Away Win
CIYMS v North Down - Away Win
Lisburn v Muckamore - Away Win
Waringstown v Instonians - Home Win
Refixes 12th May
CSNI v Waringstown - Away Win
Instonians v Lisburn - Home Win
Muckamore v CIYMS - Home Win

Womens Premier League 12th May
CSNI v Lurgan (11am) - Away Win
North Down v Waringstown (1pm) - Home Win

Border league result.
Only one of the games was played on the first day of the border league.
Monaghan beat Clogher by 10 runs in a shortened game, in what was reported as being not ideal conditions for cricket.
Well done both teams for getting the match played.

Perhaps the high heid yins of CI should have spent less time in the Long Room at Lords and had a spell in the groundsman’s shed with Mike Hunt instead, they would have learned where the priorities on spending really should be focussed. This morning is embarrassing. I was criticised in the past when I posted about being a couple of steps up from village cricket. Today proves CI is not fit for purpose.

My Predictions for first match of NCU Premier League..
Carrickfergus v Instonians - Home win
Lisburn v CIYMS- Away Win
CSNI v North Down-Away Win
Waringstown v Muckamore- Home win
I think CIYMS will win the League but
I see Muckamore as dark horses this year as they significantly strengthen their team and i will not be surprised if they finish in top 4 this year.
WHAT YOU THINK GUYS...

Hobson's Choice ..

Creaking, groaning joints, aches, pains
guess my bones are getting brittle,
stiff and sore, alas, not supple anymore
a fall could see me, land in hospital

Where once I caught bolts of lightning
returned skywards, nonchalantly
these days, all I catch, the common cold
do older men, think retrospectively?

Yet, despite snow up top, fire burns below
chastens morbid thoughts of slumber,
petrichor, aroma of fresh cut grass, stirs
senses, defeatism is ripped asunder

The feel of leather, carved willow in hand
inspires, adds rhyme to reason,
better to go glorious, in company gregarious..
I'm gonna play again this season