Having set out targets for 41 players to perhaps achieve during the year 2012 (though there were some duplicates where some players were potentially within reach of achieving more than 1 target) in all 7 targets were achieved. In fact of those for whom targets were set 6 did not play at all in 2012.
It had been my intention to write a small piece on those who achieved their targets as and when they got there. I did that for the first three. However the other 4 got there lateish in the season and for one reason or another I never got around to doing those pieces. On the basis that better late than never I now propose to recognise those.
Bill Coghlan (Clontarf)
Bill’s target was to reach 3,000 runs and for that to be achieved he needed 475 runs at the start of the season. He got there with a score of 78 against YMCA. Bill made his debut for Clontarf in 2001. Since then, and up to and including the innings where he reached 3,000 runs, he has played 139 matches, batted 123 times, of which 14 were not out, had a highest score of 108*, against Railway Union in the cup this year, and scored 3,048 runs at an average of 27.96. He has 4 centuries and 16 Fifties. In addition to reaching the 3,000 runs, he also was the highest scoring batsman in Division 1 this year and won the Marchant Cup.
Joe Morrissey (Clontarf)
The target Joe achieved was to reach 300 wickets. This he reached in his last match of the season when he took 4 wickets against Merrion and ended the season with 301 wickets. Joe first played Senior Cricket in Leinster in 1993 and has played for Clontarf, Merrion and Dublin University. In all he has played 247 matches in Leinster, and has taken 301 wickets at an average of 20.26. He has taken 5 wickets in an innings on 3 occasions.
Damien Poder (Merrion)
Damien was another whose target was to reach 300 wickets, which he did in his 8th Match in 2012 against YMCA. He first played for Merrion in 1997 and when he reached his target he had played 230 matches. At the end of the season 2012 he had taken 302 wickets at an average of 19.04. He has taken 5 wickets in an innings on 6 occasions, with a best return of 6-13.
Max Sorenson (The Hills)
While perhaps largely looked upon as a bowler, the target for Max to achieve was to reach 2000 runs to see him appear in the list of those who have reached that figure and are still featuring in Leinster Cricket. Max made his debut for the Hills in 2007 and he started the season on 1,926 runs, thus needing 74 to reach his target. For a combination of reasons it was his 9th match in 2012 when he got to that mark, scoring 66 against Railway Union. By the end of the season he had played 83 matches, with 75 Innings. He had scored 2,072 runs at an average of 32.38 with a Highest Score of 120. He has scored 3 Centuries and 11 Fifties.
In summary therefore the 7 players who reached targets during 2012 were:-
Shahid Iqbal (Rush)
Eoghan Delany (Dublin University/Clontarf)
Theo Lawson (Pembroke)
Bill Coghlan (Clontarf)
Max Sorenson (The Hills)
Damien Poder (Merrion)
Joe Morrissey (Clontarf)