O'Brien follows father's prowess

CRICKET: Railway Union's young wicket-keeper Niall O'Brien is the only new cap selected in Ireland's 13-man squad for the upcoming European Championship to be staged at various venues in Ulster from July 19th to 25th. He takes over from Andy Patterson (Cliftonville) who kept wicket in the recent match against West Indies A, and thus is the only change in the team proper. Karl Johnston reports

O'Brien is a son of the legendary Brian "Ginger" O'Brien and is the first Railway Union player to be capped for Ireland since his father. O'Brien senior won 52 Ireland caps in all, between 1966 and 1981, during which he scored 1,636 runs, highest 72, including nine half-centuries for an average of 21.24, and he is joint fourth (with Alan Lewis of YMCA) in Ireland's most fielding catches, having held 42 in the course of his career.

At senior interprovincial level between 1966 and 1988, he scored 2,380 runs for South Leinster, highest 138 not out, for an average of 28.33. He also holds the record number of catches by a fielder, with 49 in all.

Niall O'Brien has represented Ireland at various under-age levels in the past few seasons. He was the Ireland under-19 wicket-keeper in last season's European Championship in Scotland.

He opened the batting (with Barry Archer of The Hills) for the Southern XI in the Inter-Regional Challenge match against the NWCU XI at Eglinton last weekend, and scored a useful 37. He was not the wicket-keeper, however, and in the circumstances the incumbent behind the stumps, Dara Armstrong (North County), may have some reason to feel a bit aggrieved, since he had one stumping and held two catches.

Meanwhile, young O'Brien is involved in a vital match today as Railway Union take on Merrion in the semi-final of the Leinster Senior 50 Overs League - sponsored by Lewis Traub - at Park Avenue. The winners will face Pembroke in the final at Malahide next Sunday.

After the weekend matches, CYM head the Section A table in the Leinster Senior 55 Overs League - sponsored by Whitney Moore & Keller - with 54 points from four matches, followed by Merrion who are a point behind. The Section B table is headed by Munster Reds with 37 points from three games, while Leinster are on 32 points from the same number of outings.

Wet Monday mornings can be dreary, so your correspondent was glad to get a laugh, courtesy of an Irish Cricket Union (ICU) press release regarding RTE Network 2's new sports programme which goes out at 1.30 next Saturday. The programme will show highlights of Ireland's recent match against West Indies A, which shouldn't take long.

States the press release, without a hint of irony: "This follows some great coverage for the game this summer, coverage which included the Channel 4 Cricket Roadshow as well as ongoing exposure in our national, and local, media".

That must be the one-liner of the year, coming from a sporting organisation which is the best in the land at hiding its own light (and its game) under the proverbial bushel.

IRELAND (squad for European Championship, July 19th to 25th): J Molins (Banstead, capt.), K McCallan (Cliftonville, vice-capt.), C Armstrong (North County), P Davy (Pembroke), Dom Joyce (Merrion), P Gillespie (Strabane), D Heasley (Glendermott), P Mooney (North County), J McGonagle (Donemana), A McCoubrey (Ballymena), G Neely (Glendermott), N O'Brien (Railway Union), A White (North Down).

Ireland's European Championship matches: Friday July 19th: v Scotland at Lisburn; Saturday July 20th: v Denmark at Stormont; Monday July 22nd: v Italy at Ballymena; Tuesday July 23rd: v Holland at Eglinton; Thursday July 25th: v England at Waringstown.