Cork County 1 travelled to the Lydican on a dreary June Saturday for a Munster Senior Cup quarter-final clash against last year’s beaten finalists Galway. Persistent rain through Thursday and Friday aswell as on Saturday morning had left the artificial wicket slippery and the outfield damp.
Galway captain Danish Ali won the toss and took the obvious decision to bowl first. Due to the damp conditions the start was delayed until 12.45 and the game reduced to 44 overs per side. Ross Durity and Mirza Baig opened the batting for the visitors and despite the ball skidding on produced some expansive shots to put County in a commanding position at 28 for no loss after four overs. Durity departed for 18 from 22 balls, edging Waqqas to ‘keeper Ronan Mahon. Baig(12) soon followed, bowled via an inside edge off the bowling of M. Ali(1-7). Ian Coleman was joined at the crease by Morne Bauer but the partnership did not last long, the latter bowled second ball by an excellent inswinging delivery from Rohit Bisla(1-38).
Robert Duggan(35) and Coleman(27) then put together a fluent partnership with most of the runs coming through boundaries. Galway bowlers Danish Ali, Conor Mullen and Jaffer Hussain all attempted to provide a breakthrough which eventually came courtesy of a run out, Coleman deciding to take on the throw of Waqqas at fine leg and losing out. Robert Duggan had racked up three boundaries to this point and he along with new batsman Oliver Creedon continued to add quick runs to the scoreboard. Three boundaries from Creedon along with two more from Duggan including a lofted four over mid-wicket brought County to 117-4 before both batsmen perished; Creedon(13) caught behind and Duggan bowled both courtesy of Umair(2-20).
Captain Andy Wootton(9) was bowled by Danish Ali and things looked bleak for County with 8 overs remaining but Ahmed Bilal produced two fantastic straight sixes aswell as finding the boundary at mid-wicket for four after being dropped at long off. Peter Barlow(3) attempted to support his big-hitting partner but found it hard to beat the close fielders. Bilal eventually fell for a memorable 21 off 33 deliveries, Junaid Amin fell first ball to Waqqas(3-24) and Barlow was run out attempting a single, Kevin O’Sullivan finishing 0* and Cork County at least thirty short of where they wanted to be at 168 all out after 42 overs.
After a short tea-break County took to the field and Andy Wootton made a breakthrough in the very first over, Kevin O’Sullivan taking an excellent catch diving forward at mid-off. Iliff Summitt(2) soon followed his opening partner back to the pavilion, caught by Oliver Creedon at extra-cover, again off Wootton. With the ball swinging and the surface still wet, batting conditions were difficult and opening bowler’s Bilal(2-17) and Wootton(5-14) made the most of it with two brilliant spells. Galway’s third wicket fell to Bilal, Umair Chaudry(13) pulling a short pitched delivery to Kevin O’Sullivan at fine leg.
Rohit Bisla was next to perish, caught at slip by Bauer off Wootton for just one. Conor Mullen(0) survived one stumping appeal but fell to the very next ball, Ian Coleman with great work behind the stumps to send Mullen back to the hutch. Galway’s dangerman Waqqas was removed second ball, edging a swinging delivery from Bilal to Coleman behind the stumps. Jaffer Hussain and M.Ali didn’t last long either; the former caught off Wootton for his fifth wicket, the latter caught off Junaid Amin(1-15).
Danish Ali(33) and Sajjad Mahmood(15*) put up a bit of a fight for the home side and it took three bowling changes to eventually break the partnership, seamer Morne Bauer(1-8) having Ali caught by Peter Barlow at mid-wicket. The game was soon up for Galway, Robert Duggan(1-2) sealing victory for the Leesiders with the wicket of S.Khan(0) and condemning them to a 78 run loss. Cork County will now face Clare at the Mardyke in the semi-final as they bid to retain their Senior Cup crown.