Irish League Youth Cup Season 64

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This Season’s Draw
At last count 49 of the 81 teams accepted our invitation. This means the top 32 ranked sides of those who accepted were included the draw. Apologies to the 17 of you who didn’t make it, but all are eligible to enter this season’s Youth Plate.

In the draw are seven team from Youth 1.1; 11 from the second tier; and the remaining 14 from the third. We have all five of the previous winners from the first to last season's: The WaddiWallas; Spinney Wanderers; Chester Ducks; Staindrop Lordies; and Cork City Cobra's.

We also have four teams competing for the first time: Balls Deep; Blazing Dragons Cricket Club; Justhititfor6; and The Gaelic Pingers.

Welcome to them and good luck to everyone.

Note: Rankings used are as of the start of the season.

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Top Quarter

Round of 32
#008 Marching On Together ( Youth 3.3 ) vs. #018 Weston Super Mud CC ( Youth 2.1 ) [Youth Rivalry: 0-0]
Weston Super Mud CC won by 23 runs
#040 Dunbrody CC ( Youth 3.1 ) vs.#003 kato xi ( Youth 1.1 ) [Youth Rivalry: 0-1] [Youth Cup Rivalry: 0-1]
Dunbrody CC won by 47 runs
#014 The New Originals ( Youth 2.2 ) vs. #032 Balls Deep ( Youth 3.4 ) [Youth Rivalry: 0-0]
Balls Deep won on countback (wickets fallen)
#004 Donna's Kebabs ( Youth 1.1 ) vs. #035 Meeting Mr Miandad ( Youth 3.4 ) [Youth Rivalry: 6-12]
Donna's Kebabs won by 17 runs

The first quarter is heavily laden with four of the top ten ranked teams. All four are kept apart in the first round but Weston Super Mud CC provide testing opposition to Marching On Together. Last year's finalist kato xi face Dunbrody CC.

• Three of the top ten ranked teams eliminated but Donna's Kebabs progress thanks to Juliana Harris (86*).

• Balls Deep beat The New Originals on count back

• Marching On Together get bogged down by Weston Super Mud CC

• Dunbrody CC overturn last year's finalists kato xi

Round of 16
#018 Weston Super Mud CC ( Youth 2.1 ) vs. #040 Dunbrody CC ( Youth 3.1 ) [Youth Rivalry: 4-2]
Dunbrody CC won by 6 wickets, upsetting division two Weston.
#032 Balls Deep ( Youth 3.4 ) vs. #004 Donna's Kebabs ( Youth 1.1 ) [Youth Rivalry: 0-0]
Donna's Kebabs won by 17 runs again, Colin Alfred top scored with 79.

Quarter Final
#040 Dunbrody CC ( Youth 3.1 ) vs. #004 Donna's Kebabs ( Youth 1.1 ) [Youth Rivalry: 7-1]
Donna's Kebabs won by 7 wickets. Carlton King (3-14) and Kester Charles (2-17) led the Kebab's attack in demolishing Dunbrody's batting lineup while Juliana Harris (49*) top scored again.

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Second Quarter

Round of 32
#006 Cork City Cobra's ( Youth 1.1 ) vs. #019 Spinney Wanderers ( Youth 2.2 ) [Youth Rivalry: 16-8]
Cork City Cobra's won by 8 wickets
#010 Rebel Spinners ( Youth 2.2 ) vs. #024 Shaktar Senseless ( Youth 1.1 ) [Youth Rivalry: 0-0]
Shaktar Senseless won by 13 runs
#036 Celtic Wolves ( Youth 3.3 ) vs. #037 Billericay Bluebirds ( Youth 2.2 ) [Youth Rivalry: 5-9]
Celtic Wolves won by 8 wickets
#012 Ella XI ( Youth 2.2 ) vs. #002 The WaddiWallas ( Youth 1.1 ) [Youth Rivalry: 2-0]
The WaddiWallas won by 7 wickets

The second quarter has four of top-ten ranked and three previous winners, including the holders Cork City Cobra's who have a tricky matchup against season 60 champions Spinney Wanderers. Inaugural winners, the WaddiWallas, also have a tough draw against the Ella XI; but the tightest matchup looks to be between Celtic Wolves and Billericay Bluebirds who were ranked just one place apart at the end of last season.

• Another surprise as Shaktar Senseless beat the Rebel Spinners

• Holders Cork City Cobra's beat the Spinney Wanderers; Niall Lunn (54*) and Emmet Rankin (43) easily chase down the target.

• Former winners The WaddiWallas navigate past Ella XI

• Celtic Wolves beat Billericay Bluebirds

Round of 16
#006 Cork City Cobra's ( Youth 1.1 ) vs. #024 Shaktar Senseless ( Youth 1.1 ) [Youth Rivalry: 6-1]
Cork City Cobra's won by 6 wickets; Emmet Rankin (58) and Leon Keogh (47) leading the charge.
#036 Celtic Wolves ( Youth 3.3 ) vs. #002 The WaddiWallas ( Youth 1.1 ) [Youth Rivalry: 2-3]
The WaddiWallas won by 3 runs

Quarter Final
#006 Cork City Cobra's ( Youth 1.1 ) vs. #002 The WaddiWallas ( Youth 1.1 ) [Youth Rivalry: 9-5]
Cork City Cobra's won by 7 wickets. Kamiel van de Velde (5-14) ripped through the WaddiWallas to leave the batsmen an easy total to chase.

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Third Quarter

Round of 32
#021 Staindrop Lordies ( Youth 1.1 ) vs. #022 Blwe Scavengerz ( Youth 2.1 ) [Youth Rivalry: 5-2]
Staindrop Lordies won by 9 wickets
#030 Ballingeary Lakers ( Youth 2.1 ) vs. #007 The Hurlutown Partnership ( Youth 3.4 ) [Youth Rivalry: 5-2]
The Hurlutown Partnership won by 16 runs
#034 Woodlands CC ( Youth 2.1 ) vs. #025 Applewood Crossing ( Youth 3.1 ) [Youth Rivalry: 2-1]
Woodlands CC won by 6 runs
#001 Vegas Venoms ( Youth 1.1 ) vs. #028 Royal Eleven ( Youth 3.4 ) [Youth Rivalry: 0-0]
Vegas Venoms won by 10 runs

Despite being a division apart, previous winners and top tier Staindrop Lordies were ranked only one place about division two Blwe Scavengerz. #1 Vegas Venoms begin there run for the title against the Royal Eleven and The Hurlutown Partnership are the other top-ten side in this quarter travel to Ballingeary to play the Lakers.

• Top-ranked Vegas Venoms proceed against the Royal Eleven. Kendrick Douglas (69), Anthony West (65*); honourable mentions to Cormac Ledwidge (76) and Ethan Barrett (57).

• As expected The Hurlutown Partnership beat Ballingeary Lakers; Avelyn Browne (53) top scored.

• Staindrop Lordies get past Blwe Scavengerz. Vhaskar Basnet (3-9), Dennis Lane (3-15) and Shane Byrne (55*).

• We're out. Applewood Crossing turned over by Woodlands CC. Seamus Morgan (73*), Alan Casey (64*) and Eugene Kilty (3-26)

Round of 16
#021 Staindrop Lordies ( Youth 1.1 ) vs. #007 The Hurlutown Partnership ( Youth 3.4 ) [Youth Rivalry: 0-2]
The Hurlutown Partnership won by 19 runs. Opener Chook Ah Chee (64) set Hurlutown off on path to a winning total.
#034 Woodlands CC ( Youth 2.1 ) vs. #001 Vegas Venoms ( Youth 1.1 ) [Youth Rivalry: 2-2]
Vegas Venoms won by 36 runs

Quarter Final
#007 The Hurlutown Partnership ( Youth 3.4 ) vs. #001 Vegas Venoms ( Youth 1.1 ) [Youth Rivalry: 2-8]
The Hurlutown Partnership won by 1 run. Opener Chook Ah Chee (68*) once again helped the Partnership get off to the right start with later support from Jonathan Banks (59*) before their bowlers managed to hold the Vegas response just shy of their target.

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Bottom Quarter

Round of 32
#041 Dublin Devils ( Youth 3.2 ) vs. #020 Chester Ducks ( Youth 3.2 ) [Youth Rivalry: 3-2]
#027 Justhititfor6 ( Youth 3.1 ) vs. #029 The Cross Lances ( Youth 2.1 ) [Youth Rivalry: 9-5]
#033 kilkenny ( Youth 3.4 ) vs. #038 Blazing Dragons Cricket Club ( Youth 3.3 ) [Youth Rivalry: 1-0]
#026 Corleone ( Youth 2.1 ) vs. #016 The Gaelic Pingers ( Youth 3.2 ) [Youth Rivalry: 0-1]

This is the open quarter with no top ten teams involved. Chester Ducks have won the cup before but The Gaelic Pingers, Corleone, Justhititfor6, The Cross Lances and kilkenny if not more will all have hopes of reaching the semi-final spot and then who knows.

• This is the quarter where all of the remaining teams hope and any may make the semi-final slot

• Chester Ducks exorcised the Dublin Devils. Basil Hogan (85*), Mwaka Guppianani (rws, 4-17)

• Corleone took The Gaelic Pingers out. Mustafa Abdellah (69*), Marc Franks (57), and an honourable mention to Mandy Liddicut (60)

• Justhititfor6 tilted The Cross Lances. Jerry Blankenship (rfs, 4-26), Debasis Varki (73*), and an honourable mention to Emmet Brady (79)

• kilkenny quenched the Blazing Dragons' fire despite honourable mentions for Retief Carlstein (80*) and Hashim Mirzad (54) who shared an opening partnership of 124. Godlen Styger (57) in what must have been a great team performance.

Round of 16
#020 Chester Ducks ( Youth 3.2 ) vs. #027 Justhititfor6 ( Youth 3.1 ) [Youth Rivalry:0-2]
Chester Ducks won by 7 wickets
#033 kilkenny ( Youth 3.4 ) vs. #026 Corleone ( Youth 2.1 ) [Youth Rivalry: 9-11]
kilkenny won by 8 wickets. Pradip Tewari (3-23), Mazin Kedar (3-25) and Bryce Birch (2-13) contain Corleone to 117 before openers Godlen Styger (44) and Fairy Rigg (61) took kilkenny virtually all the way.

Still just as open, but now a little more competitive; four teams vie to reach the semi finals.

Round of 16
#020 Chester Ducks ( Youth 3.2 ) vs. #033 kilkenny ( Youth 3.4 ) [Youth Rivalry: 4-8]
kilkenny won by 10 runs, an honourable mention goes to the Ducks Sheharyar Marwat who took 5-28 but their batters could still not match the needed total.

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Leaders
Player of the Tournament, for most fantasy points:

• 347 - Sheharyar Marwat (Chester Ducks)

• 318 - Kester Charles (Donna's Kebabs)

• 311 - Emmet Rankin (Cork City Cobra's)

• 276 - Juliana Harris (Donna's Kebabs)

• 262 - Jerry Blankenship (Justhititfor6)

Golden pads, for most runs scored by a batter:

• 182 - Chook Ah Chee (The Hurlutown Partnership)

• 168 - Juliana Harris (Donna's Kebabs)

• 166 - Emmet Rankin (Cork City Cobra's)

• 156 - Peter Kendrick (Balls Deep)

• 156 - Basil Hogan (Chester Ducks)

Golden cap, for most wickets taken by a bowler:

• 9-57 Sheharyar Marwat (rws, Chester Ducks)

• 7-56 Kamiel van de Velde (rfs, Cork City Cobra's)

• 7-87 Leon Keogh (rfs, Cork City Cobra's)

• 6-54 Kester Charles (lf, Donna's Kebabs)

• 6-89 Michael Gardner (rf, The Hurlutown Partnership)

• 6-104 Gerald Gibbons (rfs, kilkenny)

Golden gloves, for most dismissals involving the keeper:

• 6 (4c, 2st) - Inazamam Wasti (Veg as Venoms)

• 6 (3c, 3st) - Emmet Rankin (Cork City Cobra's)

• 5 (5c, 0st) - Leonard Ackerman (Cork City Cobra's)

• 5 (4c, 1st) - Cameron Cuff (kilkenny)

• 5 (3c, 2st) - Cordel Motta(Donna's Kebabs)

• 5 (3c, 2st) - Rik van der Wiel (Chester Ducks)

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Semi Final
As one would expect the cream has risen to the top; two of the the top division sides meet in one semi-final. In the other number 7 ranked Hurlutown Partnership defeated two Youth 1.1 sides to meet Youth 3.4 rivals kilkenny who came through a seemingly easier bottom quarter.

#004 Donna's Kebabs ( Youth 1.1 ) vs. #006 Cork City Cobra's ( Youth 1.1 ) [Youth Rivalry: 12-5]
The Kebab's put one over league title chasers Cork City in a lwo-scoring semi-final. Fast bowler Kester Charles (1-10), Javon Walcott (1-11) and Henry Best (3-22) held the Cobras to 101-6 which Donna's team overhauled without too much fuss.
#007 The Hurlutown Partnership ( Youth 3.4 ) vs. #033 kilkenny ( Youth 3.4 ) [Youth Rivalry: 11-8]
The Hurlutown Partnership won by 23 runs
The Partnership won with a contained performance, kilkenny's chase was kept securely in a box with another low scoes that never really looked like challenging. Hurlutown's league position belies their status.

Final
b]#004 Donna's Kebabs ( Youth 1.1 ) [/b] vs. #007 The Hurlutown Partnership ( Youth 3.4 ) [Youth Rivalry: 6-4]
Both teams play in the final for the first time, but we could be in for a real humdinger!