After losing the toss, Clontarf were asked to bat. Colin Currie and Andrew Delany began carefully
against a tight bowling attack. Runs were hard to come by but bit by bit the openers began to
gain control. Colin hit a couple of mighty blows to clear the ropes while Andrew was more circumspect.
Andrew was out for 48 while Colin got to an excellent 64 before being out. A few lusty blows from Sean
Dunne brought the total to 154 for 3 at the end of the 30 overs. A good score, but the supporters hoped
the missed runs would not come back to haunt the team.
The team came out after tea, pumped up - a bit too pumped up. The bowling was quick but not that
straight and Bready tucked away the bad balls and happily accepted the wides and no balls. Going at
6 an over for the first 10 overs was not in the Clontarf game plan. Fortunately, a pair of Seans, Dunne and
McCarthy came on to bowl and exerted a level of control to pull the Bready started back. 2 quick wickets
hepled, with a run out and an LBW slowing down the batsmen. But it was hard work and the 2 Bready Batsmen
Austin and Kelly looked good, very good. It took a great catch by Sean McCarthy to end the partnership, but
now Kelly took over the reins and he looked to be leading his team to the finishing line. Needing a run a ball
for the last 3 overs with 6 wickets in hand, the game seemed to be in Bready's grasp.
David Delany came back into the attack, David's 1st 5 overs had gone for 29 runs and no wickets however, the next 5 balls changed the game. Still pumped up but this time the radar was on, David bowled 5 fast straight yorkers to clean bowl the 5 batsmen. The 6th ball was so close that the umpire held his head in disbelief that it had missed, so too did wicket keeper Colin Currie and Bready sneaked a run. First ball of the next over was struck back past the bowler for 4, was this game over yet? Next ball however, Bready tried for an impossible run and the field held its nerve to execute the run out. Game over, and time to breath again.
What a day, what a finale and what a fitting tribute to Rod Hokin that the team stuck together under the severest
of pressure to haul back what seemed to be a lost cause.
On behalf of all the Youth Section, thanks to everyone who travelled to Bready - "we were there"