Lisburn Seconds go for Junior Cup glory

It is nine years since Lisburn last appeared in a final, and a full 20 years since they last won the trophy, and the feeling is that another etching of the Wallace Park teams name on the silverware is long overdue.

Lisburn’s Michael Foster says they will need to perform to the best of their abilities to have any chance of an upset against the holders Cooke Collegians.

He added: “That said, the boys are playing well, we have won 10 out of our last 12 matches in all competitions, and it should be all to play for on Saturday.”

Having enjoyed a lot of success in the league over the last decade (4 league titles) it is a little surprising that the Seconds haven’t enjoyed more success in the cup. In 2003, a strong side started as favourites over Saintfield but on that occasion lost a crucial toss and after a poor start were always chasing the game before narrowly losing. A survivor of that match, the skipper back then Michael Foster, will feature tomorrow and he offers these views.

“The Junior Cup has been a frustrating competition for us, and for me personally, over the years. We have either managed to underperform in the later stages, or have come up against a particularly strong side early on. We really are due a win, given our performances in league cricket, but against the holders Cooke Collegians, it will require us to perform at the best of our abilities to have any chance of an upset.”

Their opponents are certainly stiff opposition and will start the match as favourites in many people’s eyes. Having won the trophy last season, they are perhaps slightly fortunate to be in the final at all, having lost to Academy in round one only to be reinstated after it was discovered that side had fielded an ineligible player, but since then they have swept all before them and are flying high in Senior League 2. Being a first XI, they do not have to contend with unavailabilities higher up the club (Lisburn 1st XI are missing both Derrick McCann and Jonny Bell on Saturday, at least), and they have a number of experienced and very talented players in their ranks. Lisburn skipper Glenn Halliday is under no illusions of the task ahead, though he is optimistic that his team can give a very good account of itself.

“We will need to be on the money from ball one, bat and ball. We definitely have the ability to do that, and our squad is talented, with a nice blend of youth and experience. Unfortunately our best batsman this season, Mark Berry, has been unlucky in the timing of his holiday to Magaluf and will miss out and that is a big blow for us, but we have other guys who will now need to step up to the plate and replace his runs. On the bowling front, I wouldn’t swap with any other team in the competition; we have consistently bowled very well, with lots of variety. Callum Atkinson is now in top form, and he will be well supported with the new ball by Richard McConkey. They will hand over to the experienced quintet of Neal McDowell, Michael Foster, Carl Williams, Richard Booth and Derek Suffern and I am confident that this attack can do itself justice on the big day. Cooke Collegians will be a tough nut to crack, but we won’t go down for want of trying.”

In his quest to become the first Lisburn captain since Trevor McKeown in 1992 to bring the trophy back to Wallace Park, Halliday will be looking for solid contributions from all of the final starting XI. To upset the apple-cart, and to send the holders home with runners-up medals will require something a little bit special from Lisburn, but cup finals are the time for something special and August 4th at Belmont may well just provide it. The Seconds hope that this will be the case and that Lisburn supporters come out to spur them on for the challenge that lies ahead. All the action begins at Belmont (CIYMS) at the slightly earlier time of 11am.