County 2 took on Galway in the Junior Cup semi-final at the Mardyke on Saturday the 28th of July. County captain Niall Tynan won the toss and asked Galway to bat on what was a warm but showery day at the ‘Dyke.
Justin McGurk(2-8) opened the bowling from the City End and made an immediate impact, forcing Galway opener Umair(0) to direct one to Kevin Bray at mid-wicket who took an excellent catch after just four deliveries.
Unfortunately it was at that moment that it began to rain and the teams had to come off for 20 minutes not allowing County to continue the momentum which they had gained with the first wicket.
When the teams did come back out seamers Justin McGurk and Hugh O’Brien(0-14) continued and it was McGurk who claimed the Galway’s second wicket, Nitin hit on the pads by a full toss from McGurk and given out lbw.
M.Ali(18) and Sajal(7) steadied things for the visitors but before the second rain delay of the innings Matt Reed(2-20) took the wicket of Ali, the right-handed bat edging behind to Coleman.
After another rain delay this one 30 minutes long, things got worse for Galway, Waqqas(2) lifting one straight up in the air off Ciarán Healy, Nicky Murphy taking the catch at mid-on.
Danish(2) was run out after some sharp fielding by Nicky Murphy and Khan(6) soon followed, again run out but this time more due to some casual running between the wickets and not running his bat in.
Galway were now in deep trouble and it was left to Rohit Bisla(28*) to try to put some runs on the board. Two boundaries off Reed and one off Chris Banon(0-10) brought some much needed runs for the Connacht side.
Two more wickets fell in quick succession, Arunbabo(0) was out lbw off Reed and R.Mahon(1) was out caught by Tim Clifford off the bowling of Healy.
This left Galway nine wickets down and the innings soon finished, Ted Turton(3) bowled by Nicky Murphy(1-4). That left Cork County with a target of 82 which seemed quite an easy task given the conditions and the speed of the outfield.
Umpire Michael Hickey decided to postpone lunch and instead brought the teams back out after just 10 minutes.
Tim Clifford and Steve Smith opened the batting for the home side but their partnership did not last long, Clifford(0) lifting a short delivery to square-leg for a routine catch.
Wicketkeeper- batsman Ian Coleman came in at three for the Leesiders and played very solidly while at the other end Smith hit both opening bowlers Waqqas and Danish to all parts of the ground.
A change of bowling for the visitors did not stop Smith scoring steadily and it required another change in bowling before a breakthrough was finally made, Smith(32) directing one to point off the bowling of medium-pacer Khan.
Things got worse for the home side when Chris Banon departed the very next ball, the left-hander edging to the Galway ‘keeper.
Vice-captain Kevin Bray(2) joined Coleman at the crease and got off the mark straight away with an on drive for a couple before being given out lbw, again off Khan.
County however needed only 28 to win at this stage and patient batting from Coleman(14*) and Matt Reed(12*) saw County home, Reed dispatching an above waist height no ball to the square-leg boundary to seal victory for the home side and secure them a place in the final against Limerick C.C. on Sunday August 12th.
