It has been a season of progression for Cork County 2nd XI, following on from their Junior Cup Final disappointment in 2015.
2016 season got off with an unusual start, being thrown straight into the 1/4 final of the Junior Cup in April and a replay with last seasons victors County Kerry 2. A strong and organised Kerry side set about demolishing a sluggish County side only getting their first real taste of cricket for the season.
With that disappointment dealt with, almost a month between fixtures and a bench mark for the season laid out, a run of 3 successful outings in Munster Division 1 followed with comprehensive wins at home against Tipperary, and away against Harlequins and Kerry.
The unfortunate nature of the scheduling in Junior cricket sees fixture less weekends throughout the season and no re fixes for weather abandoned games. So in the midst of the 3 wins there was a rain abandoned game against Kerry at home followed by another rain abandoned fixture away to Tipperary.
This has not helped the flow of the season at all for the team and it was somewhat highlighted with an emphatic defeat on return to league fixtures at home to Harlequins.
A real positive has been that many players have contributed to the victories, especially with the ball through Kevin O’Sullivan, Brian Kelleher, Hugh O’Brien, Tugrhul Kahn, complemented by a real improvement in the glove work of Peter Barlow.
Complemented as only experience allows through the performance and on pitch guidance of John Power, Justin McGurk and a cameo by Andy Wootton.
Siting Top with 3 wins, 2 shared points and 1 defeat, we are in a good position with a home and away fixture against Limerick 2 to round off the season. Emphasis will be on County 2 performing with bat and ball in each game to take the maximum points available.
However a resurgent Harlequins 2 could prove a threat with their game in hand away to Limerick and fixtures at home against Kerry and fellow title contenders Tipperary 1s, it could come down to the last round of fixtures in mid September.
Hopefully come that point we will be celebrating but whatever the outcome it has been a very positive season with the emergence of some younger talent proving they are capable of being the backbone of a side at this level and hopefully they use it as a springboard into regular contention for Leinster and Munster Premier Division fixtures.
Scot Jeffers