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I accept entirely that the rule was contravened. I also remember a similar situation at Derriaghy a few seasons ago that led to relegation.
Ed...
There has to be a better system to avoid this.
Andy, as NCU Cup Secretary I can confirm that the player in question had not appeared in any previous rounds of the competition.
The recent social media snow storm over 'that' cup final raises one question in my mind. If this young player had played in any of the previous rounds of the competition why was the validity of his registration not pick up by those responsible for the checking of same?
Ed...
Perhaps Andy, but the club has the ultimate responsibility to register as per the rules. Dare I recall the "Connellgate" incident in 2006 where the registration was 'uncovered' many months after the event and North Down were deprived of the Senior League championship. Like this incident it was a trivial ruling, but everyone was bound by the rules. Personally I feel the registration should be accpepted in 3 days with a formal acceptance from the League Secretary up until 1 July after which no clubs can be registered for that season. Everyone knows what is fair and not fair so both clubs have been the victims of rules. Some people feel the NCU rules are outdated and need to be re-written. Perhaps they are right!
Taverners V Grasshoppers.
Grasshoppers win by some runs.
Another fantastic day of cricket at Chambers park.
Great game, played in the best spirit, and the famous Chef Karim curry was of course as usual - perfect.
May I first wish Andrew White on a speedy recovery from a nasty injury in the match v The Hills at Milverton and well done to Waringstown on reaching the Final against The Hills coming up soon.
Also looking forward to the Womens Cup Final coming up soon between Lurgan and North Down at a venue and date to be conirmed.
Lurgan will be hot favs on Lge and Cup form with 7 wins from 7 whilst North Down 3 losses in the Lge and 3 wins in the Cup which side of Nth Down will we see.
Also in the T20 Ulster Cup Semis
North Down v Bready (at The Green, Comber starting at 11.30am) North Down Win, the tightest of the 2 matches but ND to come through
Waringstown v Coleraine (at The Demesne, Saintfield starting at 11.00am) Waringstown win with ease
Waringstown to win final v North Down even though North Down will have home advantage this time but another high scoring contest awaits us
Big weekend for some clubs.
Best wishes to Waringstown and Instonians in the Senior Cup Semi-Finals today and also for Donaghcloney and Carrick in the Intermediate Cup Final.
Also, North Down and Warinstown in the Ulster Cup.
NCU Intermediate Cup Final
The NCU Intermediate Cup Final takes place between Donaghcloney Mill Seconds and Carrickfergus Seconds, at The Meadow, Downpatrick Cricket Club, on Saturday 12th August (Noon Start). This competition is between teams playing in Junior Leagues 2 and 3 of the Northern Cricket Union
The Road to the Intermediate Final
Junior League 3 side Donaghcloney Mill received a bye in the first round, and then beat CSNI Thirds by 69 runs in the Second Round helped by a massive 150 by Colin Hylands. In the semi-final they had a much narrower victory by seven runs against Academy Seconds.
Carrickfergus Seconds, of Junior League 2, had a narrow three wicket victory against Armagh Seconds in the first round, followed by a comprehensive 154 run defeat of North Down Seconds thanks to an undefeated century from Richard Hood. In the semi-final a thrilling contest ended in a one wicket win against Instonians Thirds.
Supporters from the participating clubs, and all other cricket followers from across the Northern Cricket Union and beyond will be warmly welcomed to Downpatrick Cricket Club.
Aug 13th @ 1pm
Chambers park
Taverners V Grasshoppers.
Don't miss it.
T 20 Finals Day
What has happened with Armagh ? Has their bus broken down again ?
Speaks volumes of the commitment shown by most clubs beneath the Premier League ! Worrying signs .......
Ulster Grasshoppers CC
Afternoon all, the Ulster Grasshoppers CC have a friendly fixture (30 overs) organised against the Portadown Taveners CC on Sunday 13th August at Chambers Park, Portadown.
The game is scheduled for a 1pm start and will include Grasshoppers legends including Michael Turkington & Paul Stafford plus new members from Lisburn CC, Ballymena CC, Cliftonville CC, Lurgan CC & Waringstown CC.
The Grasshoppers are also touring this Autumn to Malta for a long weekend with 2 games scheduled. Results and reports will follow in due course. The intention is that this will be the start of annual occurrence.
Should anyone be interested in becoming a member please feel free to contact me on richard@finlaygrahamproperty.com
Cheers
Ricky Finlay
Chairman Ulster Grasshoppers CC
President McMorran's words-
Among the details of his 'doings' and visits to date did anyone else get the impression that also in there he was passing on the CI message that we need to manage the expectations of Unions and Clubs regarding the ICC funding.
Clubs/grass roots last to get a mention in where the money goes.
Don't get your hopes up is what I read between the lines.
I met an old rugby pal while at Ballyclare on Saturday and we were chatting about the state of rugby at junior club level. He mentioned that he had seen that Ireland had achieved Test status and he commented 'that's the club game gone then'. When rugby 'went professional' the top Irish players went to English clubs for crazy money - so crazy in fact that former leading English clubs found themselves in penury. The creation of the European Cup generated the finance that gave the IRFU the basis to offer meaningful financial packages to attract them back. The dearth in club rugby in Ireland is reflected in what's now happening in France with the national side being affected by the imported players playing for big money in the club game . I have posted in the past my concerns about the future of cricket in Ireland and unless the change is handled properly, the decline that has already happened will continue. I have read Peter's report carefully and note the implied warnings therein. The provision of proper facilities has already been highlighted by Eoin Morgan and I read that alongside the difficulty in recruiting a groundsman for Bready. On a local level, again we have clubs unable to turn out sides and there is a strong rumour coming out of North Belfast about a merger. I await the influx of 'foreigners' whose grannies were on bus trips to Bunratty Castle and qualifies them for Irish passports! In a conversation in the North West a couple of weeks ago I was asked 'where do you see Cricket Ireland in 5 years?' My answer 'exactly where it is now unless we have the ability to take on board the lessons of what has happened in other sports'. Rant over - and this is me on a good day!
Moral boasting, edifying words from the NCU president in his summer surmise on all things cricket here, especially heartening to read his acknowledgment of the importance to support grassroots cricket.
Yes, there are one or two clubs struggling for numbers at present and their plight cannot be ignored or they may quite simply perish and disappear into the ether, and such profound losses do indeed impact upon the local game as a whole as in the grand scheme of things, the knock on effect and fall out from such travesty can and will be seriously debilitating to all who play and enjoy the game!
Keith Montague,
Some great calls on last weekend's match predictions, you're obviously a gentleman of noble merit and vastly knowledgeable on the local game, and I see you also posses admirable taste in the literacy arts of good writing.
What more can I say other than keep up the good work!
The T20 days are being held as a compromise after the competitions were being phased out, with the NW citing fixture congestion.
ULSTER CUP T20 FINALS DAY - SUNDAY AUGUST 13
North Down v Bready at The Green, Comber (11.30am)
Waringstown v Coleraine at The Demesne, Saintfield (11am)
Final at Comber (4pm)
ULSTER SHIELD T20 FINALS DAY - SUNDAY AUGUST 13
St Johnston v Holywood at The Boathole (11.30)
Strabane v Armagh at Strabane Park (12pm)
Final at Strabane Park (4.30pm)
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The Ulster Shield Finals Day takes place in The North West Cricket Union, on Sunday 13th August. This competition is between the finalists of the Twenty20 competitions contested by Second Tier cricket clubs in the Northern Cricket Union and North West Cricket Union.
Semi-Final Fixtures
St Johnston v Holywood, at the Boathole (St Johnston CC) (11:30am)
Strabane v Armagh, at Strabane Park (Noon)
The final will take place at Strabane Park (Strabane CC) at 4:30pm
The Road to the Ulster Shield Finals Day
In the final of the NCU Twenty20 Trophy Armagh defeated Woodvale by five wickets, with Jarrod Barnes turning in an all round performance taking three wickets for five runs and scoring thirty not out. Due to Woodvale withdrawing from the Ulster Shield their place will be taken by Holywood Cricket Club. Holywood lost to Woodvale in the semi-final of the NCU Twenty20 Trophy.
St Johnston beat Strabane by two wickets in the final of the North-West Cricket Union’s Eric Cooke Plate competition.
Supporters from the four participating clubs, and all other cricket followers from across the Northern Cricket Union and North-West Cricket Union and beyond will be warmly welcomed to both St Johnston CC and Strabane CC.
Richard White
PRO
