Oliver Plunkett’s from Malahide won their first Leprechaun Cup when beating St Mathew’s from Irishtown by 80 runs at a sunny Malahide CC yesterday. The final was the last in a series of games played around Dublin over the past eight weeks involving over close to 40 schools.
Oliver Plunkett’s 118/4, 20 overs (S.J de Klerk 37*, Binyam Keegan 36*, Richard Ainsworth 2/11, Jamie Forbes 1/12)
St Matthews 57/9, 20 overs (Lucy Deacon 8, David Berry 6, Jack Grant 3/7, Willhelm De Klerk 2/5)
Oliver Plunkett’s won by 61 runs
The Leprechaun Cup continues to be the flagship for cricket development in Leinster with many new schoolchildren now being given the opportunity to play hardball cricket during their primary school years. Running parallel with the Leprechaun Cup this year was the 8-team ‘Super League’, the 4-team ‘4th Class Cup’, and also the Leprechaun Cup’ Cailiní’ for girls schools.
To present the trophy (sponsored by the Leprechauns CC) was Dick Forrest and Alan Smith, while also present representing Leinster primary schools sponsors Antalis were Ian McGrath and Barry Forrester. Antalis are into their second year of sponsoring all Leinster primary schools competitions.
Sales advisor Ian Mc Grath commented ‘we are delighted as an organisation to be involved in a supporting capacity with the current efforts being made to provide competitions for local Primary schools during the April/May & June periods each year. It is evident from the numbers participating in the four different competitions currently being run that it is a sport on the up with lots of boys and girls getting the chance to play inter-school, hardball fixtures.’
Presenting the medals were Ireland international Andrew Balbirnie while Kevin O’Brien was also present to show his support.
Oliver Plunkett’s NS:
SJ De Klerk, Wilhelm De Klerk, Finn Daly-Dolan, Binyam Keegan, Jack Grant, Matthew O’Brien, Jonathan Ross, Jed, Tormey, Ciaran McLoughney, Andrew Stenson, Colm Nicol, Liam MacAogain, Oran Costello & Evan Banable.
St Mathew’s NS:
Jamie Forbes (Capt.), Lucy Deacon, Sarah Forbes, Sam Henderson, Adam Regan, Isobel Ainsworth, Richard Ainsworth, Lochlan Cran, Davitt Gilvarry, Dylan Meenan, Sophie Maher, Adam Tobin, Francis Manzocchi, Sol Cunninghan McDonagh & Lana Kaminska Knigh.