YMCA, at home to Strabane in today's Royal Liver Irish Senior Cup semi-final, have been dealt a double blow by the withdrawals of Alan Lewis and Stuart Taylor. Rugby commitments have ruled out Lewis and a dislocated finger has side-lined Taylor, opening the door for the return of Mark Nulty and Martin Ridgeway.
Still, YM can look to the elan of the likes of Angus Dunlop, John Hoey, Stuart McCready and Jonathan Garth as they seek a place in the final. Strabane's line-up is dynastic - the brothers Gillespie and Patton father and son comprise six of the team - and formidable. It is spearheaded by Peter Gillespie and the former Ireland player Charlie McCrum, so a home victory is unlikely to come easily.
Like YMCA, Clontarf will be hoping that home advantage will help them see off giant-killers Ballymena, thus ensuring an unprecedented all-Dublin final next Friday. Ballymena, who won promotion last season, are joint leaders - with Lurgan and Downpatrick - of Section 1 of the NCU League. They defeated Leinster, Pembroke and Don emana en route to today's semifinal, which will be co-umpired by the Australian Test umpire Darryl Hair.
Today's big match in the Whitney Moore & Keller League will be the Section A meeting of Leinster - just 20 points adrift of table-leaders Merrion, with a game in hand - and The Hills, at Rathmines. Tomorrow, Malahide will be determined to maintain their unbeaten Section B status at the expense of Phoenix, up in the Park.
Steve Waugh started his Irish visit in Belfast yesterday; over the next three weeks he will promote cricket here and in Northern Ireland and play for the national team against the Australia A tourists.
A corporate lunch is planned for August 19th at Jury's in Ballsbridge, at which Waugh will speak about "motivation", the motto, as we all know, of the Irish Cricket Union. Details are available from ICU honorary secretary John Wright on 845 0710.
