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Hello Northern Ireland,
Hope you guys are not being washed away over there.I am looking for a club for one of my top players. He is a righthanded batsmen, bowls offspin and is a very good keeper. He's got an ancestral UK visa. I will highly recommend him. Pieter van Niekerk. South Africa

Stevie,
Just for that,I'll make sure I get them all on the stumps when your in batting;he,he!!

Cheers,that's another interesting bit of triva,I did'nt know about Jackie,he certainly was a great sportsman indeed!

Sounds like there were quite a few good footballers at Dundrum C.C. over the years too?

Vic,
Someone told me your wicket keeper could take Maik Tylors place when he retires. Apparantly he has had plenty of practise - similar to Alan Gordon in Dundrum. Willie Quinn who plays regularly for us in Dundrum has represented NI Schoolboys and has played at Wembley.
I think Jackie also played in the infamous match between Celtic and Linfield when Celtic had to withdraw from the League.

Stevie,
You know more than me mate! made a call to one of our more mature players and indeed your right, Jackie Denver did indeed play for Belfast Celtic around 1948 I'm told,(pre-Glenavon). Although I was wrong about him playing for NI,though it was said that he should have had many caps !

And ofcourse his son,as Clarence says Alex Denver; followed in his dad's footsteps and was also a Glenavon & Victoria legend.

Wonder who will be the next one @ Victoria C.C. ? ? ?

oops - forgot to mention the legendary Ossie Bailie who seemed to play for everybody!

I recall that hazy day alright Michael -were Cliftonville & Glentoran mentioned? Don't forget to add Ballymena cricketers Jackie Fullerton, Davy Cairns & Jimmy Small who all played in the Irish League. And as for Glenavon players (and I know that he didn't play cricket) but I'm sure that the more mature Lurgan guys will be pleased to learn that Paddy Corr is still alive and doing well in Ballymena - I meet him most every day and the sickening thing is that he hasn't put on a pound of weight since the 1959 cup final - and I'm sure some of the Lurgan Park mafia will remember who they beat in the replay. It totally slips my mind!

What about Cecil Robinson the popular umpire? He played a bit of Irish League. Although going by the banter he was getting during the rain delays of the Ireland England ODI up at Stormont last year by the Woodvale lads he's trying to keep quiet about the teams he played for ??!!??

Vic,
Correct me if I'm wrong but I seem to remember someone telling me that Jackie Denver also played for Belfast Celtic? Is that correct?

Hi Vic and Jeff,
I wasn't trying to list all the football/cricketers but giving a taste and you have rightly identified some fine dual sportsmen. Alec Denver was a legend and there were plenty of others in the NCU and North-West. I doubt if there will be any Irish League summer football because most of these guys like to go on their holidays to Majorca while the Newry and Larne players go to martial arts summer camps. As for Gareth watching Glenavon, we're doing him a favour keeping him away from Mourneview Park in the summer! Long gone are the days when Jack Dugan from Comber and Wilbur Cush were the best wing halves in Irish football.

Think be disaster for lot junior clubs if football was played in the summer as they havnt big enough squads for both.Couple players that played both sports Noel Maguire Bangor /Banbridge Town & Dundrum cc. Davy Mills Glentoran /Portadown & Drumaness cc & Dundrum cc & think Alan Mills also played irish league possibly for Distillry or Crusaders

NI Cricket Job (Full time coaching)

http://www.nijobfinder.co.uk/jobs/job.php?j=83111&s=6931317&i=4&c=4

Ed.
On your resume of great footballers and their equal love for cricket,you forgot to include NI football international & Glenavon legend; Jackie Denver, no less.
He founded Victoria C.C. in 1954 with a group of mates consisting of fellow players and others, to keep themselves in trim during the summer season.

Coincidently his name appears in these score books I'm at, right up until the late 90's, I played a few times with him then and boy; he loved his cricket!

If he was playing for Glenavon now,I would even go myself to Mournview and take a look.(In disguise ofcourse!!).

Craig McMillan sorry for the mistake. Rumours are true. Alistair Bushe has put a big report in the newsletter on it. so it has been confirmed!

Re Craig McMillan.

While I won't believe it until I see his name on a Sunday Life scorecard, fair play to CIYMS for their continued ambition and the audacity to attempt such a high profile and top class signing. Certainly would make things very interesting for next season!

Re Summer Football

While I hope that Summer Football is never brought in over here, I would have to disagree with Clarence's opinion that if it was then it would not have any affect on the NCU Leagues. The last few years have seen increased alternatives for folk to do on their summer Saturdays and throwing more football into the mix certainly wouldn't help matters. Senior cricket might not be overly affected playing wise, but teams down through clubs and the already low numbers of people watching cricket might thin out even more. The less competition the better I reckon.

Plus, I would hate to have to miss so many Glenavon matches because of cricket!