Power’s injury puts a dent in Munster Reds cup aspirations

THE loss yesterday of the bowler/batsman John Power for the Royal Liver Senior Cup tie against CYM was disappointing news for a Cork County team intent on rewriting history in the competition.

Power, an experienced international, tore a hamstring when Cork beat Midleton in the Munster Senior League last weekend. He is unlikely to recover in time for the Munster Reds opening game of the season against Merrion at the Mardyke on Saturday week.

Power’s misfortune was an unwelcome blip in the progress of a Cork County team which has already created cup history. Their win over Ardmore of Derry marked the first time a Munster team had qualified for the second round of a competition that stretches back over 60 years.

Local enthusiasts view that win as an inevitable result of increasing competition between Cork and the Leinster clubs. Although Munster Reds have replaced Cork in the Premier Division of the Leinster League, the team is largely representative of Cork players, with a couple of notable exceptions.

The win over Ardmore was achieved with a degree of flourish at the Mardyke, and opening bat Ted Williamson captured the upbeat mood of the team, saying: “We are very familiar with the players of CYM and we believe they are beatable.”

Cork will follow their favoured tactic of catch-us-if-you-can if they win the toss at Terenure. They will bat first, aim to post a total in the region of 230 in their 50 overs and then look to overwhelm CYM through their striker bowlers and alert work in the field.

A complication, however, is the fact that the Terenure pitch has an artificial wicket and CYM are well familiar with the peculiar characteristics of a wicket they play on every other week.

Said Williamson: “It will be a problem for us, you cannot deny it. Every ground in Cork has an artificial wicket and we practise on them. But each one has its own little kinks and they will be familiar with the ups and downs of theirs.”

Robert Duggan is captain of Cork County and a former Irish Universities international.

He leads a talented side, one that will look to Williamson and Stephen Hickey to open their innings in authoritative mood and hope that strike bowlers Keith Banks and Bruce Koch will spread anxiety and indecision among the opposition.

CYM have a talented captain in Michael Lax, South African-born and equally good with bat and ball. He captains the Southern X1 representative team as well and this year will meet the qualification requirements to play for Ireland.

Ken Brennan is the man who will seek to exploit local knowledge of the peculiarities of the Terenure wicket with ball in hand, and with Conor Kelly, another Southern X1 representative player adding further strength to CYM’s batting capabilities, they will be difficult opponents for Cork.

Cork will look to their own non-nationals to offer solid a solid foundation to their performance with Koch and his compatriot from South Africa, Wilf Bracegirdle, bringing a good mix of admirable qualities to the team.

Royal Liver Irish Senior Cup (second round)

Tomorrow: Malahide v Donemana, Railway Union v Brigade, Merrion v Glendermot, CYM v Cork Co, Pembroke v Clontarf, Bangor v North County, The Hills v Limavady, Leinster v Phoenix.

The third round draw will take place on Sunday with ties taking place on July 5.