THERE are two important finals taking place in Fingal this Saturday – while the greatest media interest will focus on the Malahide Stadium and the RSA Irish Senior Cup final, the game at Kenure Park will be taken no less seriously by the players and supporters of Rush and Railway Union.
The RSA Minor Cup is barely a quarter-century old, although a previous incarnation ran from 1926 to 1969. Rush’s 2nd XI won that three times in the 1930s, as well as the new cup in 2002 and 2010. Railway Union have won each cup once thanks to their 3rd XI (1947) and 5ths (1994).
Both sides play in Division 12, and though only two places separate them on the table, Railway have won 10 games, twice as many as Rush, and still have hopes of promotion.
The hosts are captained by Adam Ellison, a Scouser who used to play for Sandyford. He has led from the front this campaign, taking 7-11 in the first round win over Knockharley, and 5-27 in the semi-final against Dundrum.
“We beat Railway at the start of the season but looking at the run they're on we caught them at a good time”, he said this week. “It's great for us to have the final in Rush, there’s always a good crowd for our home matches and with the final on there will be a fair few there. We're hoping we can give them something to celebrate.”
Adam took over this year from veteran Ralph Burton. ‘The Brigadier’ is in his 14th season with the club, which he joined in his late 40s! He still turns his arm over to effect, with 12 wickets at 11.75 this season, and he and Oisín Marsh are the only survivors from both the 2002 and 2010 wins.
Marsh has spent 17 seasons on Rush’s 4ths, and can always be relied on for a vital wicket. Former Drogheda United footballer Mark ‘Botsy’ Byrne, man of the match in that 2010 final, commutes from Italy and made a match-winning 97 not out in the semi win over Dundrum last month.
There are plenty of Rush’s large crop of youth stars in the line-up, and the one you hear most about is 12 year old wicketkeeper Neil Rock, known to all as Pebbles. His patient batting and tidy keeping has drawn the attention of the Leinster selectors and a big future can be his with hard work.
Another promising youngster is Josh Murphy who played for Leinster U15s this year and has scored 139 on this cup run (63, dnb, 45, 31) while Dylan Bell took 5-33 against Adamstown in the quarter-final.
Railway Union geared up for the final with a thumping 202 run win over Laois last weekend, with Naved Muhammad scoring an unbeaten 122 in their 17th successive victory.
Railway has benefited greatly from the Leinster CC exodus of last winter, with more than 20 new members. This has caused a trickle-down effect and this 6th XI is essentially the 5ths of 2012.
Skipper Dave Diskin has been delighted with his team’s progress since some early hiccups against Rush and Trinity. “We have a great mix of youth and experience and have been able to get off to a good start most games with early wickets.”
Youngsters such as bowler Andrew Jackson (3-10 in the semi-final win at Sandyford) and Ciaran Kenny (his cup innings read 41, 41no, 42 and 23) have taken their chances, while veterans such as Uppy Reddy and Neville Clarke have taken vital wickets. Another senior regular, Graham Chisholm, is unavailable due to holidays.
Two Antipodean sporting all-rounders feature in the middle order; Aussie Rules coach Dave Gargan, and Kiwi former Heineken Cup rugby star, Ivan Morgan both made vital runs and wickets in the semi. And Tom Boldy, a former schoolboy player who was out of the game for several years studying in Galway, has returned.
In an experienced side, there is none moreso than Paul Byrne who played for some seasons on the 1st XI as wicketkeeper, while Neville Clarke who captained the 1994 cup winning side. That team included a slightly less taciturn ‘keeper than Byrne, who will not be able to be there to watch at Rush – unless Leicestershire’s game against Glamorgan is over in three days.
TEAMS
RUSH: (from) A Ellison (capt), O Marsh, R Burton, J Murphy, D Bell, N Rock, Kashif Rehman, E McGuinness, G Jones, C Langan, M Byrne, UH Sheikh
RAILWAY UNION: D Diskin (capt), P Byrne, C Kenny, N Clarke, D Gargan, N Muhammad, T Boldy, I Morgan, U Reddy, A Jackson, AN Other.
PATHS TO THE FINAL
RUSH
Round 1: beat Knockharley by 48 runs
Round 2: beat Wicklow County by 45 runs
QF: beat Adamstown by two wickets
SF: beat Dundrum by six wickets
RAILWAY UNION
Round 1: beat Castleknock 3 by 48 runs
Round 2: beat Mullingar by seven wickets
QF: beat Civil Service 4 by six wickets
SF: beat Sandyford 3 by 114 runs