Rahul in as Mansing departs Donaghcloney

With Mansing Nigade moving to Templepatrick after a number of successful years in the village, in his place comes highly rated Rahul Desai. Rahul has spent time coaching and learning in Australia and comes off the back of a successful season in his native India. It is expected other local signings will be confirmed in the coming week to continue to deepen the depth of quality at the club. Also confirmed as leaving are Naomi Matthews, to local rivals Waringstown, and Neil Carson, returning to Instonians.

The first eleven under Philip Derby will again be competing in Section One and aiming for a safe mid table finish while allowing the continued development of the under age system, with Luke Allison and Conor Woods both expected to make the breakthrough to gain some vital experience at senior level in the coming seasons.

The second eleven continue under Keith Martin and will be hoping to replicate last years successful season in Junior Two, with mounting a decent challenge towards the top of the table a very realistic ambition. In Junior Seven Raymond Matthews will be hoping to build on their promotion with a season of consolidation. Senior practices take place on Monday and Wednesday evening and newcomers would be very welcome

The club continue their commitment to youth development, with a number of players selected for NCU squads over the summer. The Factory Ground has also seen a new artificial wicket laid over the winter. Youth practices continue through the week and summer, with primary school children on Thursday nights and those under fifteen on a Tuesday. The club is now in more schools than ever before, with coaching in primaries starting in January this year, and continuing until the club’s festival and tournament days for primary schools in mid June.

An addition to the club this season will be the start of womens cricket at the club. Practices will be held on a Tuesday evening and is hoped will help mirror the huge growth seen in female cricket throughout the country and give the current under 15 girls squad at the club something to target in future, again any women interested are welcome to come along.