Double awards nomination for Bannsiders

The Sandel Lodge side had a memorable year after being crowned NW Senior League champions, Ulster Cup winners and Faughan Valley T20 winners. But they can add further glory following the nominations for the 2013 RSA Cricket Ireland Awards. The Bannsiders have been short-listed in Tildenet Club of the Year category along with Clontarf and YMCA.

And Niall McDonnell has been nominated in the O’Neills Club Player of the Year category alongside Eddie Richardson, Kyle McCallan and Simmi Singh.

Coleraine enjoyed unparalleled success in 2013. Without a major trophy since 1986, the Sandel Lodge outfit won a superb three major trophies. They romped home in the NW Premier League, eight points ahead of their major challengers.

They also won the Ulster Cup, beating Waringstown on their home turf, and also prevailed in the Faughan Valley Cup final, holding their nerve to beat Donemana in a sudden death shoot-out.

Clontarf and YMCA also had excellent campaigns. Clontarf won the RSA Irish Senior Cup for the first time in their history, as well as completing an unbeaten run to clinch the Leinster Senior Two title. The club lifted trophies at 2nd and 4th XI levels, and at youth level the Under 15 side made it a superb double for the Castle Avenue side as they won the Irish Cup.

It was an amazing season at all levels for YMCA, as the Claremont Road side collected 13 trophies. The highlights were the senior team winning the RSA Senior Cup, the Ladies section winning Senior Two, while of the nine trophies won by the youth section, pride of place was their amazing fight-back against Instonians to win the Under 11 All-Ireland decider.

Coleraine and North West Warriors star, McDonnell, played an instrumental role in Coleraine’s treble campaign. The opener was the leading run scorer in the country with a mammoth 933 runs at 77.75.

The awards will take place on Friday 11 October in the Hilton Double Tree Hotel Dublin.