Foyle College reachMcCullough Cup final

FOYLE & Londonderry College cricket team are on the hunt for more silverware this week.

The schools cricket teams have reached the final of the Gordon McCullough Memorial Cup where they will face Wallace High School, home and away on Saturday, with play getting away at 9.45am.

With this competition involving all school cricket teams, from the Under 12 XI right through to the 1st XI, some of the local youngsters will play their match at home, while some of the sides will be on the road.

For David Keown, who concedes that the poor weather has played a bit of a role for his boys to reach the final, he feels his side go all the way and claim the trophy.

“We have a number of very good cricketers in all our sides,” stated McKeown.

“In the 1st’s are skipper David Lapsley is very good, while fellow St Johnston man Thomas Cole is our Under 14 captain and is too a good cricketer.

“But I feel our best cricketer is young Andrew Austin from Bready, he’s our under 15 skipper and he has played representative cricket for both the North West and Ulster. He’s a fantastic wicket-keeper and in my opinion has what it takes to go and play at the highest level.”

Also playing in cup competitions this week are Foyle’s Firsts who host Down High School in the Schools Plate competition, while the Seconds travel to BRA in the Schools Cup quarter-final and the Under 14 entertain RBAI in the Under 14 Cup.

Keown also feels that schools cricket, which over the years particularly at Foyle has produced a host of top quality cricketers like Graeme McCarter, Stephen Smyth and Nick Donnell, continues to get great support and he feels the tour to England later in the month can only but help the youngsters.

“I know in my time at Foyle College the support has been super and I would continue to tell parents and lovers of cricket in the area, to come out and support the next generation of talent.

“The Under 14 squad travel to Chester and Wirral for a week from June 30th and that experience will be very beneficial to all of them.

“Not only will they be coming up against top quality schools, where they are going to come up against different types of bowling and they’ll be both batting and bowling on different types of wickets, but the whole experience of being away from home on tour will also be good for them.”

Meanwhile Limavady Grammar travel to Wallace High School on Friday in the semi-final of the Ulster Bank Schools Cup.

They reached the last four stage following a four wicket win over Strabane Grammar.

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