Donnell confident of another cup success

The teenagers, who defeated RBAI last year, can't wait for this Friday's schools' cup cricket showpiece final to get underway.

Captain Nick Donnell is confident Foyle can retain their title.

"It's a great achievement for any school to make it into the final two years in a row," he admitted.

"It also just shows how good the team is performing again this year; we are only missing three or four players from last year's squad, but everyone has played their part in us getting to the final.

"The batters have been performing especially Kevin Murdock and Jack Glenn. Those two are crucial because they are opening the batting and are scoring the runs which are setting the standards, but to be honest we bat the whole way down.

"Then in the bowling department we probably have one of the best attacks in the North West.

"Especially with the final being played on a grass wicket at Bready, our two spin bowlers Jack Glenn and Mark Fleming will be crucial, because before you know it there could be 18 overs bowled with no runs conceded because of those two bowlers.

"Fielding, we are always on top of our game and we always want to try and up our standards and improve every week and obviously the coaches give us the support to believe that we can improve."

The Brigade man also believes he and his team-mates won't be too bothered with the favourites tag.

"We have considered ourselves as favourites right from the start of the competition, even from last year we were thinking ahead, but you have to take each game as it comes.

"We have to play as a team because it's not all about individuals, it's all about 11 men: you might have three or four good players but that isn't good enough to win you games."

This isn't the first time these two schools have faced each other in this competition; in fact last year the duo met, with Foyle coming out on top and Donnell is hoping a similar outcome will happen this Friday.

"We played Sullivan last year and we won comfortably enough, it was a game where I made my debut for Foyle. This year talking to a few boys involved in the Ulster Schools trials, we know what we are up against and we are full of confidence - there is no reason why we shouldn't win the cup."

Playing at the glorious Bready Cricket Club surroundings, Donnell hopes that can inspire him and his fellow students.

"Last year it was great having the final in Bready, because we had plenty of support, but it depends on how you take that, some people may feel under pressure with the big support, but on the day I feel we just need to concentrate, focus and play to the best of our abilities.

"With it being my final year at Foyle, I'm going out into the final hoping the boys back me up, so that we can win it again," concluded the Foyle skipper.