Cricket Column: At the Dublin Grass Machinery League final at Malahide on Sunday, there was a small bunch of vociferous Railway Union supporters dressed in their club's green 20/20 shirts, banging bodhráns, blowing whistles and sounding horns from the start of the match at midday until well after their team had lifted the trophy that evening.
Malahide is not Sabina Park or even Headingly, where making plenty of noise is encouraged if not, in fact, compulsory, and the exuberance of the supporters raised a few eyebrows and led to wholesale tutting and more than one skyward glance.
But while Railway Union's Barmy Army may not have gauged their audience accurately on Sunday, they will be more than welcome at the finals day of the LHW 20/20 Alan Murray Cup which takes place at Rathmines this Saturday.
Following the success of last year's event which, despite grey and drizzly weather, attracted good crowds to witness big hitting, coloured clothing, white balls, bouncy castles, music from the 98FM Thunderbus and all the fun of the 20/20 fair, the same ingredients are being brought together for this weekend's extravaganza. Except, of course, it is hoped the sun will shine.
North County, Clontarf, The Hills and Railway Union will be there to contest the semi-finals and final for what is being billed as a festival of cricket.
The admission will be 5 per person for the day but families get in for €10. The semi-finals begin at 11am and 2pm with the final at 5pm. There will be no spectator parking at the ground but space will be available across the road in St Mary's College at a flat rate of €2 per car.
This type of cricket is not everyone's cup of tea and I must admit I will be attending the first two days of the England v Pakistan Test match at Lord's this week before returning for the LHW 20/20 but it is certainly a welcome foil for the more refined and cerebral longer forms of the game.
It has already been very successful in attracting a new audience to the game in this country and that can only be a good thing. Anyway, where else in Dublin this Saturday does entertainment for the whole family set you back just 10?
On a sad note, Pembroke Cricket Club lost one of their finest former players last week when Harry Hill passed away at the age of 75. During a playing career lasting from 1947 to 1977, Hill was a constant presence as wicket-keeper for Pembroke and held the Leinster record for the number of dismissals with 502 (292 catches and 210 stumpings).
Hill's record was only beaten last season, by another Pembroke keeper, Charlie Kavanagh.
Hill was unlucky his career coincided with that of Ossie Colhoun, the great Sion Mills keeper, who was an automatic choice in the national team for most of the 1960s and 70s. Had Hill been at his peak today, he would surely have played for his country. Hill, a former president of the Leinster Cricket Union and Master of the High Court, was laid to rest on Friday. May he rest in peace.
