Following the success of Leinster in the Alan Murray Cup last week, this Saturday and Sunday see the finals of the other T20 competions. On Saturday the YMCA Salver and Tillain Cup finals take place in Terenure C.C. while Sunday sees the Russell Court Trophy and Whelan Cup finals in Railway Union C.C.
YMCA Salver
Knockharley v Rush 2 – Terenure C.C. – Sat. 23 July at 1.00 pm
This competition commenced in 1990 when YMCA presented a Salver to commemorate what they believed was there seventy fifth birthday. It was subsequently redesignated to be the Alex Dunlop memorial trophy in memory of the late YMCA stalwart.
The Rush club has won the trophy only once in 1994 and were beaten in their only other final appearance in 2000 so few of the current squad will have a memory of success. This is Knockharley’s first ever Salver final. They will be keen to bring the trophy to Meath for the first time, it having been in Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow and Laois in the past.
This year a round robin format was used replacing the knock-out rounds in the early stages of the competition. Rush comfortably overcame Pembroke and Sandyford in their group and went on to knock out Mullingar - last year’s beaten finalists – in the quarters and Clontarf in the semi-final. Knockharley got the better of Castleknock and North County in the group stage, Phoenix in the quarters and last year’s winners Merrion in the semis.
Coming from league Division 5 compared to Rush in Division 6, Knockharley might be considered slight favourites but finals don’t always work out like that.
Tillain Cup
Clontarf 2 v Pembroke 2 – Terenure C.C. – Sat 23 July – 5.00 pm
In 1987, Eddie Tillain, a member of the Railway Union club, conscious of the success of the Alan Murray cup for first elevens over the previous thirty years , presented the union with a cup for a second eleven T20 competition. Eddie was a very proud member of the Railway Union 2nd XI who were the first winners. The competition has retained its popularity longer than the trophy itself but Eddie generously provided a replacement cup in 2012.
Clontarf have taken part in six finals and won five of them, their last success being in 2006. Their 1995 success was memorable because the team captain was Enda McDermott, who at the time was LCU President and was faced with the dilemma of possibly having to present a cup to himself. In the end Eddie Tillain did the honours. Pembroke have reached the final on four occasions but have yet to get their name on the trophy.
Clontarf were comfortable winners of a round robin group that included Greystones, Malahide and Dundrum and then defeated Leinster to reach the final. Pembroke were narrow winners of a group with Merrion and North County and then overcame The Hills.
The sides have already met in the Division 3 league and in the Senior 2 Cup this season. Clontarf won the cup match comfortably but Pembroke came out on top in the league match. On cup and league form generally Clontarf would probably be favourites on paper but as many people have said, the game is not played on paper.
Russell Court Trophy
Ashbourne v AIB – Railway Union C.C. – Sun 24 July – 1.00 pm
With the considerable growth in numbers of clubs and teams in recent years, many players in the lower leagues had no T20 competition to play in. This was remedied in 2012 when Rangan of the Railway Union club presented the union with the Russell Court Trophy. Two quite new clubs, neither of whom has won a trophy to date, contest the final.
Ashbourne overcame Knockharley and Mullingar in the group stage and then Adamstown and Balbriggan. AIB conquered Pembroke and YMCA at group level and went on to defeat Merrion and Greystones.
Ashbourne are in the higher league division and cup competition but that might not mean much as recent form would seem to indicate that AIB should probably be higher than they currently are.
Whelan Cup
Merrion 6 v Ring Commons – Railway Union C.C. – Sun 24 July – 5.00 pm
Another trophy with a strong Railway Union background, the trophy was presented by that club in memory of the late Billy Whelan, father of Frank and Maurice and grandfather of Heather, all of whom have carried on the cricketing tradition. First played for in 1972 it is, after the Alan Murray Cup, the oldest of these midweek competitions. Many will remember that for years it was played as a 15 eight ball over competition. Only those of a certain vintage will remember eight ball overs as the standard southern hemisphere format.
Various Merrion teams have contested six finals , winning four, most recently in 2009. Ring Commons were successful in their only final appearance in 2014 but of course the club, despite playing in Fingal competitions for many years did not compete in Leinster for a large part of that time.
The clubs come from the same league division and weekend cup competition. In the Junior cup Ring Commons are now semi-finalists while Merrion went out in an early round. What bearing that has on this match is debatable of course.
Michael Sharp
July 2016