A FOUR-MIDABLE YEAR

The 2014 season will live long in the memory at Carrickfergus Cricket Club, writes John Gillespie.
Carrickfergus Cricket Clubs Ryan Eagleson helps his side edge tantalisingly close to a return to the Ulster Bank Premier League.Carrickfergus Cricket Clubs Ryan Eagleson helps his side edge tantalisingly close to a return to the Ulster Bank Premier League.
Carrickfergus Cricket Clubs Ryan Eagleson helps his side edge tantalisingly close to a return to the Ulster Bank Premier League.

The First XI juggernaut continued at the weekend when, after a two-year absence (and barring a miraculous swing in the net run-rate statistics), they set up a return to the Ulster Bank Premier League. A win over Cliftonville this Saturday will see them go up, clinching the Section 1 title in the process.

It also means they stand on the verge of an incredible quadruple.

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Earlier in the campiagn Iain Parkhill’s men won the T20 Trophy and the RSA National Cup. They also netted the Ulster Shield. A four-trophy haul would be an unprecedented achievement for the Middle Road outfit.

Carrick cruised past relegated Dundrum in Saturday’s Section 1 clash before seeing off Downpatrick on Sunday afternoon.

Club stalwart Ryan Eagleson, who has been associated with Carrick for 25 years, told the Times: “Mathematically we have won the league. We have one game left but it has been an outstanding season.

“When we set out at the start of the year we wanted to have a good cup run and we went on to win three.

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“It’s just been a wildest dreams season when we have won everything we have gone in for.

“I have won a couple of leagues at Carrick but this has been an unbelievable campaign.”

He added: “The skipper told us to take it all in. I don’t think we have ever had a team do the quadruple and it may never be done again.”

More on page 49