Waringstown to host Irish Cup final as showpiece comes to NCU

Mandatory Credit: Rowland White / PressEye
Cricket: Ulster Bank Challenge Cup Draw
Venue: Stormont
Date: 6th January 2015
Caption: Local cricket club representatives at the draw
for the first found of this season's NCU Ulster Bank
Senior Challenge Cup: from left Billy Boyd of Lurgan
whose club will at home to Instonians and Lee Nelson who
will lead his Waringstown side against either Derriaghy or Academy. The games will be played on May 16.

Further Info contact Robin Walsh 07733100821 — Mandatory Credit: Rowland White / PressEye Cricket: Ulster Bank Challenge Cup Draw Venue: Stormont Date: 6th January 2015 Caption: Local cricket club representatives at the draw for the first found of this season's NCU Ulster Bank Senior Challenge Cup: from left Billy Boyd of Lurgan whose club will at home to Instonians and Lee Nelson who will lead his Waringstown side against either Derriaghy or Academy. The games will be played on May 16. Further Info contact Robin Walsh 07733100821

The Lawn will stage the game on Saturday, September 5 after Cricket Ireland confirmed that the showpiece will be in the NCU in 2015, irrespective of who is taking part.

Waringstown last hosted the final in 2001 when North County, inspired by Andre Botha and John Mooney, beat Cliftonville by 74 runs.

Kyle McCallan played for Cliftonville that day, scoring a half-century which ultimately couldn’t prevent them losing to the most successful team in the competition’s history to date.

The Lawn will also be hosting the NCU’s Lagan Valley Steels Twenty20 Cup final on Sunday, June 14.

The NCU has revived the finals day concept with the two semi-finals taking place earlier on the same day, one at Waringstown and the other at Lurgan’s Pollock Park.

Lurgan have been handed a plumb tie against NCU Premier League champions Instonians in the first round of the NCU Challenge Cup. Waringstown, last year’s beaten finalists, will play the winner of the preliminary round tie between Derriaghy and Academy from Section One.

Draw: Carrickfergus v Downpatrick, CSNI v Ballymena, Derriaghy/Academy v Waringstown, Donaghcloney/Cliftonville v CIYMS, Lurgan v Instonians, Muckamore v Bangor, North Down v Lisburn, Templepatrick v Woodvale. Ties to be played on Saturday, May 16.

The draw for the first round of the Ulster Cup was made last week. Waringstown, runners-up in each of the last two seasons, have been handed a tough away trip to Strabane.

Draw: Coleraine v Instonians, CIYMS v Brigade, St Johnston v Carrickfergus, CSNI v Ardmore, Eglinton v Muckamore, Lisburn v Donemana, Strabane v Waringstown, North Down v Bready. Ties played on May 23.

Councillor Marc Woods welcomed news that Waringstown will host two cup finals. He said, “The Lawn is where I have played my cricket at different levels for the past 12 years or more and it excites me to see both the NCU and the Twenty20 Finals come to The Lawn in the village of Waringstown

“This is fantastic news for our cricket club and for the village of Waringstown, one I am a player/member of and the other I proudly represent on the ABC shadow council. As a player or spectator there is something special about cricket at The Lawn and I would like to congratulate the members, officials and volunteers of WCC who work tirelessly to keep the facilities in perfect condition.”