CRICKET LEINSTER SENIOR CUP FINAL: A DAY of no little drama at Castle Avenue on Saturday ended with Clontarf winning their first back-to-back Antalis Leinster Senior Cup titles with a 31-run victory over North County.
A low-scoring affair it may have been, with the home side defending 176 to claim the ninth Senior Cup in the club's history, but they were good value for a win that was eked out against a County side that entered the contest as favourites.
Veterans showing that class is permanent; youthful exuberance; backing up of the adage that catches win matches, and a star who took a turn all added to an enthralling decider.
Dom Rigby took man of the match honours, the 37-year-old former Scottish international hitting 84 from 148 balls in a 60-over format which is perfectly suited to his patient approach to batting.
He was offered a life though, dropped off the first delivery he faced when Ciarán Garry shelled a routine effort in the covers off Andre Botha.
He went on to share a vital fifth-wicket stand of 84 with his skipper Greg Molins that brought Clontarf from 64 for four to 148 before both batsmen departed within three balls. In total five wickets fell for just seven runs and the home side were indebted to a last-wicket stand of 21 between Ewan Randall and 16-year-old Niall Delany that helped 'Tarf to 176.
It was a target that looked well within the reach of a strong County batting line-up, although Alex Cusack got amongst the top order when he took the wickets of Reinhardt Strydom and Brian Shields to reduce them to 36 for three. Botha and Richie Lawrence pushed that score on to 54, before the game's most dramatic moment unfolded, as Botha, having made 13, left the field complaining of feeling faint and bringing Mooney to the wicket.
The Ireland international had made four before Delany made his second key contribution by claiming his wicket, D'Arcy holding on to a fine catch at short extra-cover.
Andrew Poynter claimed top-scorer Garry for 25 before tea, with Joe Morrissey holding on to a skier, and when Dara Armstrong and Richie Lawrence went shortly after the resumption County were reeling at 109 for seven.
Clontarf were still wary that Botha could come back and change the nature of the game, but that became immaterial when Poynter took the wickets of Richardson and De Cruz in three deliveries to leave County requiring 42 with one wicket remaining.
Botha did re-emerge but looked far from comfortable at the crease, before Cusack took the winning wicket when Dwayne Harper was caught by Delany as County were bowled out for 145 in the 50th over. "We manage to always do well in the cup and it's great as a captain to do it two years in a row," said a delighted Molins.
