CRICKET/Weekend preview: This Clontarf side are fast becoming known as a great cup team. Today they will get through to their third cup final of the season if they beat Strabane away in the Royal Liver Irish Senior Cup.
Having beaten Rush in the final of the Conqueror Senior Cup and lost in dramatic fashion to Railway Union in the Alan Murray Cup decider, Ian Synnott's team are now seeking to take their season to a new level by winning the ISC for the first time.
It might be fair to say their cup success this year has come at a price. Firstly, with their eyes on cup glory, their recent form in the WMK League has been indifferent. Secondly, with all the extra cricket he has been playing for Ireland, North Leinster and Clontarf, the club's undoubted star of the season, Trent Johnston, has not been firing on all cylinders of late. Mind you, facing Johnston off his truncated run-up is still a formidable prospect for most club players and his ongoing achilles injury does not seem to affect his batting much. He is still arguably the most dangerous batsman in the country due to the fact that he has the ability to turn a match in a very short space of time.
Tarf lost to North County in the league on Wednesday but Strabane will not take much comfort from that, considering they were without four or five regular first-teamers, including Johnston.
Although this is a tough game to call, the north-westerners will probably go into it as marginal favourites for two reasons: home advantage and the Gillespie factor. Four brothers are expected to play, with Peter and Mark at the forefront. Peter is enjoying a fine season batting in the middle order for Ireland, while Mark, who has won three international caps, is still a more than useful left-hand batsman and leg-spin bowler. John and Michael make it another family occasion and when the Gillespies play well, Strabane play well.
In recent seasons, there has been a shift in dominance in this competition from the northwest to south of the Border and as the last remaining Leinster team in it this year, Clontarf carry the hopes of the province. A win against Strabane would set them up nicely for the final, which would be played in Castle Avenue against the winners of today's other semi-final, between Brigade and Limavady.
Elsewhere today, North County can stretch their lead at the top of Section A of the WMK League with a win over second-placed Malahide at Inch. Phoenix take on Munster at the Park, while in Section B, Rush will have a tough trip to Terenure to take on a buoyant CYM and Pembroke play Old Belvedere at Sydney Parade. On Sunday, YMCA and Merrion will fight it out as both clubs try to close the gap on Rush at the top.
WEEKEND FIXTURES: Saturday: Irish Senior Cup (semi-finals, 1pm) - Strabane v Clontarf, Brigade v Limavady. Women's international: Ireland v ECB, College Park. WMK League (12.30) Section A - Phoenix v Munster Reds, North County v Malahide. Section B: CYM v Rush, Pembroke v Old Belvedere. Sunday: Women's international: Ireland v ECB, College Park. WMK League (12.30): Section B: Merrion v YMCA.
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