Leinster's stranglehold over national youth competitions continued yesterday when YMCA Boys U15 defeated Bready in the All-Ireland final by six wickets. For once it was the team travelling to the North West that benefitted from the better weather – the Boys U13 match between Rush and Waringstown in Dublin was called off.
The home team batted first and despite a reasonable start, at one stage being 63/2, a middle order collapse extended to the rest of the team and they were bowled out in 31 overs for a disappointing 91. The key intervention in the bowling came when Harry Tector was introduced into the attack as third change. He took the key wicket of the Bready captain, Reece Kelly, for a top score of 27. From there on the wickets tumbled with Aviral Shukla [3/14] and Tector [4/16] doing most of the damage.
In reply YMCA got off to the worst possible start with Sam Murphy, Shulka and Tector out with the score on 26. But Rory McGovern [33*] and Stephen Keane [35] steadied the ship and although Keane was eventually out when the score was 90, the match by then was won.