MOUNT SACKVILLE WIN HISTORIC FIRST GIRLS SENIOR CUP

A beautiful sunny afternoon saw Mount Sackville power their way to an historic first Girls Senior Cup in Pembroke Cricket Club.

Mount Sackville Captain Alison Black won the toss and decided to bat first, no doubt looking to set a total that their imposing bowling line up could defend.

The St Andrews bowling was tight and accurate in the initial overs and a wicket apiece for Katie O’Reilly and Sarah Brownlee saw Mount Sackville fall to 29/2 after four overs.

Sophie McDonough imposed herself with a series of boundaries, top scoring with 25 from a total of 83. The bowling figures for St Andrews showed the supremacy of the bowling conditions with Katie O’Reilly taking 3/15, Sarah Brownlee 3/26, Lucy Robinson 2/19. Would this be enough to defend and take their first title?

St Andrew’s started the chase with Lucy Robinson & Sarah Brownlee, but were facing Ireland International Georgina Dempsey. Georgina bowled with pace and accuracy and took regular wickets as a result. Lucy Robinson, Louise Little and Sarah Brownlee all struggled and after three overs St Andrews were 17/3.

Georgina bowled her compliment straight through and returned a match winning 7/13 and St Andrews 34/9. Surely that would be enough?

A solid 10th wicket partnership saw a glimmer of hope for St Andrews, with looser bowling and extras all being taken advantage of. However St Andrew's luck ran out eventually and a straight delivery saw a 37 run partnership broken and a 14 run victory for Mount Sackville.

In his first post match presentation as President, Jim Bennett thanked all those involved in staging the game, but also thanked all the familes of the teams that gave the players the support to allow them to play the game.

Unsurprisingly Georgina Dempsey was Player of the Match, as decided by Women & Girls Development Officer Isobel Joyce.

Player of the Match Georgina Dempsey gives her thoughts pic.twitter.com/bWW2Ts16GF

— Cricket Leinster (@cricketleinster) May 25, 2022