Irish League Senior Cup S59-date *** PLEASE DO NOT DELETE ***

[crackit]

Welcome to the Irish League Senior Cup.

• All teams in the Irish League receive an invite.

• Teams are invited in the order or their One Day ranking at the end of S62

• There will be 32 teams in the cup, or 64, if sufficient numbers accept.

• So the top 32 (or 64 teams) that accept are guaranteed place in the draw.

Later, all Division 3 and 4 sides that not making round two of the cup are invited to the Irish League Senior Plate.

Competition Details:

• It is a knock-out cup.

• The draw is random (there is no seeding).

• Games are played on a Saturday.

• Games played are T20 friendlies

• Games do not impact player fatigue for league matches.

• Local weather conditions are applied

Pitch preparation is at the whim of the home team’s groundskeeper (random).

What's the catch?

• There is none, entry is free.

• We ask, but don't enforce, that those who can pull Irish youth players as a contribution.

• Both finalists win an award of Pavilion membership.

Then why?
As always, my hope is to:

• Develop a sense of identity, belonging and community to the Irish league setup.

• Support the Irish national side by encouraging youth pulls where possible.

• Offer teams in lower divisions the chance to test themselves against higher league opposition.

• Have fun.

It would be great if you would join in by hitting the accept button when you receive your invite.

[crackit]

Timeline - S63

• 15 Nov 2025 - Entry deadline

• 22 Nov 2025 - Round of 32 / Round of 64

• 29 Nov 2025 - Round of 16 / Round of 32

• 6 Dec 2025 - Quarter-finals / Round of 16

• 13 Dec 2025 - Semi-finals / Quarter-finals

• 20 Dec 2025 - Final /Semi-finals

• 27 Dec 2025 - --- / Final

[crackit]

Team Roll of Honour

Season 62:

• Winner: Shaktar Senseless

• Runner-up: Rebel Spinners

• Semi-finalists: Applewood Crossing; Chesney Champions

Season 61:

• Winner: Chesney Champions

• Runner-up: Donna's Kebabs

• Semi-finalists: Applewood Crossing; kilkenny

Season 60:

• Winner: Chesney Champions

• Runner-up: Weston Super Mud CC

• Semi-finalists: Ballingeary Lakers; Me & My Buddies

Season 59:

• Winner: Ballingeary Lakers

• Runner-up: Donna's Kebabs

• Semi-finalists: Applewood Crossing; Cork City Cobra's

Individual leaders
Player of the Tournament, for most fantasy points:

• S62: 389 Philip Kendrick (Rebel Spinners)

• S61: 319 Jackson Caulfield (Chesney Champions)

• S60: 414 Donk Niebeling (Chesney Champions)

• S59: 412 Gregor Coupar (Ballingeary Lakers)

Golden pads, for most runs scored by a batter:

• S62: 318 Oscar Pearse (Rebel Spinners)

• S61: 201 Julian Landry (Donna's Kebabs)

• S60: 227 Akshey Verma (Corleone)

• S59: 292 Gregor Coupar (Ballingeary Lakers)

Golden cap, for most wickets taken by a bowler:

• S62: 14-127 Philip Kendrick (lf, Rebel Spinners)

• S61: 11-68 Jackson Caulfield (lf, Chesney Champions)

• S60: 11-134 Brock Woodward (rfs, Chesney Champions)

• S59: 13-91 Marc Melksham (lfm, Ballingeary Lakers)

Golden gloves, for most dismissals involving the keeper:

• S62: 13 (11c, 2st) Antonio Goggin (Applewood Crossing)

• S61: 6 (4c, 2st) Bhupesh Dibyendu (Corleone)

• S60: 11 (8c, 3st) Tasesa Dummett (Ballingeary Lakers)

• S59: 11 (9c, 2st) Tasesa Dummett (Ballingeary Lakers)

[crackit]

First Round draw
Note: Rankings used are as of the start of the season.
#25 Royal Eleven ( One Day 2.2 ) vs. #43 Chester Ducks ( One Day 3.3 ) [Senior Rivalry: 0-0]
Royal Eleven won by 45 runs
#37 Ella XI ( One Day 3.2 ) vs. #26 Vegas Venoms ( One Day 3.2 ) [Senior Rivalry: 0-1]
Vegas Venoms won by 88 runs
#27 Weston Super Mud CC ( One Day 2.1 ) vs. #11 Corleone ( One Day 2.2 ) [Senior Rivalry: 10-8]
Corleone won by 59 runs
#23 Spinney Wanderers ( One Day 3.1 ) vs. #22 Staindrop Lordies ( One Day 3.3 ) [Senior Rivalry: 0-0]
Spinney Wanderers won by 5 wickets
#19 Rebel Spinners ( One Day 2.2 ) vs. #09 Cork City Cobra's ( One Day 1.1 ) [Senior Rivalry: 23-11]
Cork City Cobra's won by 28 runs
#12 Barnsley St. Peter's ( One Day 1.1 ) vs. #44 The WaddiWallas ( One Day 3.2 ) [Senior Rivalry: 0-0]
The WaddiWallas won by 37 runs
#29 Balls Deep ( One Day 3.2 ) vs. #38 Dunbrody CC ( One Day 3.4 ) [Senior Rivalry: 0-0]
Balls Deep won by 20 runs
#02 Save the Rhino ( One Day 1.1 ) vs. #40 North Cardiff Cosmos ( One Day 3.4 ) [Senior Rivalry: 1-0]
Save the Rhino won by 95 runs
#28 Woodlands CC ( One Day 2.1 ) vs. #17 The New Originals ( One Day 2.2 ) [Senior Rivalry: 0-2]
Woodlands CC won by 18 runs
#04 Donna's Kebabs ( One Day 1.1 ) vs. #13 All Leeds Aren't We ( One Day 2.1 ) [Senior Rivalry: 0-0]
Donna's Kebabs won by 17 runs
#06 Ballingeary Lakers ( One Day 1.1 ) vs. #33 Billericay Bluebirds ( One Day 3.1 ) [Senior Rivalry: 14-2]
Ballingeary Lakers won by 7 wickets
#42 Belmont CC ( One Day 3.1 ) vs. #30 Meeting Mr Miandad ( One Day 3.1 ) [Senior Rivalry: 1-4]
Meeting Mr Miandad won by 9 wickets
#08 Applewood Crossing ( One Day 2.1 ) vs. #03 Jolly Boys Of Peckham ( One Day 2.2 ) [Senior Rivalry: 1-6]
Jolly Boys Of Peckham won by 6 wickets
#01 Chesney Champions ( One Day 1.1 ) vs. #31 Celtic Wolves ( One Day 3.4 ) [Senior Rivalry: 5-3]
Chesney Champions won by 8 wickets
#34 North Saxe ( One Day 3.2 ) vs. #36 Blwe Scavengerz ( One Day 3.1 ) [Senior Rivalry: 0-0]
Blwe Scavengerz won by 5 wickets
#18 The Hurlutown Partnership ( One Day 3.3 ) vs.#24 Shaktar Senseless ( One Day 2.2 ) [Senior Rivalry: 3-7]
Shaktar Senseless won by 20 runs

Second Round draw
Note: Rankings used are as of the start of the season.
#25 Royal Eleven ( One Day 2.2 ) vs. #26 Vegas Venoms ( One Day 3.2 ) [Senior Rivalry: ?-?]
#11 Corleone ( One Day 2.2 ) vs. #23 Spinney Wanderers ( One Day 3.1 ) [Senior Rivalry: ?-?]
#09 Cork City Cobra's ( One Day 1.1 ) vs. #44 The WaddiWallas ( One Day 3.2 ) [Senior Rivalry: ?-?]
#29 Balls Deep ( One Day 3.2 ) vs. #02 Save the Rhino ( One Day 1.1 ) [Senior Rivalry:?-?]
#28 Woodlands CC ( One Day 2.1 ) vs. #04 Donna's Kebabs ( One Day 1.1 ) [Senior Rivalry: ?-?]
#06 Ballingeary Lakers ( One Day 1.1 ) vs. #30 Meeting Mr Miandad ( One Day 3.1 ) [Senior Rivalry: ?-?]
#03 Jolly Boys Of Peckham ( One Day 2.2 ) vs. #01 Chesney Champions ( One Day 1.1 ) [Senior Rivalry: ?-?]
#36 Blwe Scavengerz ( One Day 3.1 ) vs.#24 Shaktar Senseless ( One Day 2.2 ) [Senior Rivalry: ?-?]

[crackit]

First Quarter of the Draw
Unlike the Youth Cup, the Senior Cup is bottom loaded with six of the top eight ranked teams in the lower half. #11 Corleone is the only of these in this quarter, making it look quite open.

No team in this quarter have ever made the semis, so someone is going to break their duck. Corleone will surely fancy their chances, #27 Weston Super Mud CC will be the first of three teams hoping to disrupt their progress.

Only two of the teams in this quarter have ever progressed to the quarter final stage and #22 Staindrop Lordies and #23 Spinney Wanderers meet in round one.

Spinner Aravindan Nandedkar's 4-23 finished what Rajendar Srinath (63*) and Amitav Kale (54) started for Corleone. They go on to meet the Spinney Wanderers. Medium pace bowler Sytze Bergwijn also had a good day taking four wickets before the Wanderers eased to a wining total.

#25 Royal Eleven and #26 Vegas Venoms look likely to meet in round two to contest for a quarter-final place.

Sure enough, #25 Royal Eleven and #26 Vegas Venoms progressed. Simon Telemachus (57) then Ranjit Weerapuna (3-19) saw off Chester Ducks. Cade Soutar (3-8) rounded off a great bowling performance from venomous Vegas, Nicky Ware (67*) had helped set up a target that Ella XI never approached.

Coming up: Whilst there are no gimme's amongst the opposition, Corleone look good to continue as, and I quote, "power wears out those who do not have it".

[crackit]

Second Quarter of the Draw
This quarter looks to be be well contested by three Division One sides. #2 Save the Rhino, competing for the first time, seem to have an easy opener against #40 North Cardiff Cosmos. #12 Barnsley St. Peter's also seem to have a gentle warm-up playing #44 The WaddiWallas.

Well I was right about Save the Rhino who recorded a 95 run win. First Zeke Lansdown with an unbeaten century, and his Mate (John) with 50, charged to a 225 total, Before Bud Mullet (3-24) and the bowling line-up gored the poor Cosmos for 130 all out.

But I couldn't have been more wrong as St. Peter's dream turned into a WaddiWalla nightmare. Treyvon Arroyo (92) and Khayri Ra'uf (62*) may well have made Barnsley feel they weren't prepared for the test but it was Antoni Windsor (4-33) who finally convinced them they had failed it.

#9 Cork City Cobra's have a tougher game versus the #19 Division 2 Rebel Spinners, but the Spinners have history on their side with a 23-11 lead in head-to-head matches. The Spinners were also losing finalists of this competition last season, none of the other seven have made the quarters.

History repeated itself as the Cobras beat the Spinners courtesy of Cillian Caldwell (89) and Israel Argus (3-25). Two big score from Safdar Shahid (75*) and Ivan Coulstock (71) saw Balls Deep beat Dunbrody.

Coming up: Will Cork City and Save the Rhino meet in the quarter final, or will The WaddiWallas cause another team to have a waking nightmare?

[crackit]

Third Quarter of the Draw
By comparison the third quarter has six sides who have reached the quarter-finals of beyond, for example the inaugural winners #6 ranked Ballingeary Lakers. They would hope to make their way past #33 Billericay Bluebirds and likely #30 Meeting Mr Miandad to reach the quarters for the third time.

An honourable mention goes to Billericay's Nathan De Valera (81*) and Kaseem Yousif (3-55) who are probably struggling to understand why it was a losing effort against the Lakers. As it was, Ballingeary won comfortably and without fuss when Daniachew Kabatesi (60) and Isaiah House (55*) efficiently guided their response past the Bluebirds total.

Erin Quinn (4-9) then Fintan Moran (58*) kept Mr Miandad's encounter with Belmont brief.

In contrast, #4 ranked Donna's Kebabs hadn't won a game in this cup until making the semi-finals last season. #13 All Leeds Aren't We will be looking to make sure they don't progress this year. #17 The New Originals and #28 Woodlands CC contest to play the winner.

Zane Ayres (67*) then fast bowler Mark Ripia (3-12) helped the Kebabs finally break their Senior Cup duck. Keith Morrison (69) and Rory Arrigan (3-33) helped Woodlands CC get past The New Originals in a well contested match.

Coming up: I think we are all waiting for the Lakers vs. Kebabs match-up in the quarters. With two possible exceptions.

[crackit]

Fourth Quarter of the Draw
Holder #24 Shaktar Senseless begin their defence against the higher ranked #18 Hurlutown Partnership, the winner would hope to make the quarter final. #34 North Saxe and #36 Blwe Scavengerz may be an enticing first round draw but are unlikely to provide much opposition in round two.

An honourable mention for Antonie Wylie (59) of the Partnership who gave the best batting performance of the game. But this couldn't stop Shaktar progressing to the next round thanks to devastating bowling from Sarran Medwynter (3-23), Stephen Wafula (3-27) and Hector Crawford (3-31).

Similarly, Topon Salahuddin (3-17) and Logan Grant (3-20) helped the Blwe Scavengerz demolish North Saxe's hopes bowling them all out for 98.

Two-time champions Chesney Champions play the first International Series game at the old Emon Warriors 07 ground in India. They play against the Celtic Wolves to demonstrate the prowess of the Irish League to a wider FTP audience. Don't tell anyone, but it was a computer glitch, but I thought this was a good cover.

Two of the strongest sides outside of Division 1 meet when our own #8 Applewood Crossing play #3 Jolly Boys Of Peckham for the right to play Chesney in round two.

Well we (Applewood) gave it a go but the Jolly Boys could celebrate with an over to spare. An honourable mention to Bernard Howard for an unbeaten century in a losing cause. Rabi Mundhir (95) and Joel Sau (72*) ensured Peckham won in a timely fashion. They go onto play the one and only Chesney Champions who won at a canter.

Coming up: Game of the round - #3 Jolly Boys Of Peckham vs. #1 Chesney Champions.

[crackit]

Leaders
Player of the Tournament, for most fantasy points:

• xx - name (team)

• xx - name (team)

• xx - name (team)

• xx - name (team)

• xx - name (team)

Golden pads, for most runs scored by a batter:

• 100 - Zeke Lansdown (Save the Rhino)

• 100 - Bernard Howard (Applewood Crossing)

• 95 - Rabi Mundhir (Jolly Boys Of Peckham)

• 92 - Treyvon Arroyo (The WaddiWallas)

• 89 - Cillian Caldwell (Cork City Cobra's)

Golden cap, for most wickets taken by a bowler:

• 4-9 Erin Quinn (rfm, Meeting Mr Miandad)

• 4-22 Sytze Bergwijn (rm, Spinney Wanderers)

• 4-23Aravindan Nandedkar (rfs, Corleone)

• 4-33 Antoni Windsor (rws, The WaddiWallas)

• 3-8 Cade Soutar (rfm, Vegas Venoms)

• Plus 15 other bowlers with 3 wickets

Golden gloves, for most dismissals involving the keeper:

• 5 (3c, 2st) - Allen Maddern (The WaddiWallas)

• 4 (4c, 0st) - Emmet Harburn (Spinney Wanderers)

• 4 (4c, 0st) - Stuey Leehane (Save the Rhino)

• 4 (3c, 1st) - Clancee Brownless (Blwe Scavengerz)

• 3 (xc, xst) - Ricardo Jensen (Vegas Venoms)

• 3 (xc, xst) - Ford Prefect (Chesney Champions)

• 2 (xc, xst) - Vaughn Shoemaker (Corleone)