Above: 4thXI a fine bunch of men (and boys)
Weekly Round-Up – 18 May 2025
Fair to say we’re not having much luck with injury and availability right now — but there’s no point crying about it.
Every team across the club is packed with youth, and while that brings promise, it also brings growing pains and the experience they’re gaining — albeit sometimes the hard way — will stand them in good stead. But it’s tough going at the moment.
Everyone involved needs to have a bit of patience. That can be hard at a club that craves another golden era, but if we keep doing the right things — and backing our young players — our time will come again.
Below: Working hard in the nets on Sunday morning
1st XI – Irish Cup Exit + T20 Setback
A tough weekend for the 1s began on Friday night with a forgettable T20 Cup loss at Cliftonville Academy. A couple of unfortunate dismissals early on knocked the stuffing out of our run chase before it even got going.
Still, with the competition wide open, there’s everything to play for — and a chance to reset quickly with a trip to Stormont this week to face CSNI.
Then came Saturday’s Irish Cup tie. The draw away to Pembroke was already difficult — and losing TK and Youngy to injury made it mission impossible.
That said, Mickey Copeland led the way with a stylish and much-needed 60, showing class and composure to help us reach 172 all out. Pembroke chased it down comfortably for the loss of 3, with Josh Corbett picking up 2 wickets.
Plenty of cricket ahead — and hopefully Mickey’s knock is the spark our batters need for a timely surge in form.
2nd XI
The 2s’ tough run continued at the Castle Ground, where more batting woes saw them slip to another defeat — this time against Cliftonville Academy.
There was late drama though, as Ryan Haire launched a swashbuckling counterattack with a brilliant 86 that had faint hopes of a miracle brewing. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be — support was in short supply.
It’s a steep learning curve for this young squad, but moments like that will hopefully spark a turnaround in confidence and results.
3rd XI – A Second Win
A bright spot — the 3s picked up their second win of the campaign, thanks largely to an excellent all-round performance from skipper Jo Montgomery, who delivered with both bat and ball. A much-needed lift.
4th XI – Runs, Catches & Characters
The 4s found the going tough against a more experienced Lurgan 3rd XI on the top ground — but there was still plenty to smile about.
Steven “Public” Bar rolled back the years with a well-made fifty at the ripe young age of 50+, while rumour has it fellow veteran Jonny Heron snaffled a dolly catch. Eyewitness accounts vary, but the celebrations were real.
Boys U15 – Going Strong
The U15s claimed another impressive win, this time over CIYMS in a high-scoring contest. Even without the players stepping up to the Men’s 1s, they had 30-odd too many in the bank — a great sign of depth and quality.
Ladies 1st XI – Lessons in Defeat
The Ladies 1s were well beaten by a strong Holywood side on Sunday morning — their overseas duo blasted 160 in just over 10 overs, effectively ending the game as a contest.
But once again, Kiara Fisher showed her class with a brilliant unbeaten 96 in reply. For our younger players, the chance to bat alongside her and learn from a player of that calibre is a massive opportunity.
Looking Ahead
The fine weather has (somehow) held up — but we may be pushing our luck for another full weekend.
That said, it’s a bumper Bank Holiday ahead, with every team in action. Keep an eye on our socials for fixtures and start times.
Deatils on all games available in our NV Play Hub HERE
