For the first time in the club’s history, County Galway Cricket Club has won the prestigious Munster Senior Cup.
Played at the Mardyke in Cork city, the Munster Senior Cup final has always been a bitter-sweet occasion for Galway, who having reached the final on several occasions over the past 30 years, never won the trophy.
Galway captain Umair Chaudhray praised his team's convincing performance over Clare in this year's final, saying it was an extra special victory, being the first time in the club's history.
It was also a very special day for wicket keeper, Ronan Mahon, who had been on the losing side more than once for Galway since 2000.
En route to the final Galway overcame all the Cork teams in previous rounds before facing Co Clare in Sunday’s final.
Galway batted first, reaching a total of 280 for seven wickets in their 50 overs which included one fifty from top scorer Shariq Nasim (56 ) with Danish Ali and Conor Mullen both securing 45 runs, followed by Jaffer with 23 and Umair Chaudhary 19.
Clare’s Farman proved the most proficient bowler, bagging four wickets.
In reply Co Clare were all out for 182 runs in 45.3 overs with Danish, Iliff, Rohit, and Muhammad Ali each taking a wicket each, Tabish took two wickets and Subbu took three, which together with his 40 runs, made him Man of the Match.
County Galway 2nd X1 win Dick O'Neill Cup
The Galway’s 2nd X1 also celebrated success in the Midland Cricket Association's two knock-out trophies. The Wallace Cup for senior teams saw County Galway pipped at the post by Mullingar in mid week, losing by an agonising one run margin in the semi-final, but the 2nd X1 won the final of their competition against a strong Dundalk team, bringing home the Dick O'Neill Cup to Galway thanks largely to Subbu's 104 not out.
In a tense final few overs in Bagnelstown in Carlow, the Dundalk lads fell just eight runs short of the Galway target of 186. Dundalk's skipper, Andy Williams threatened to take the game away from Galway with a brutal display of big hitting until Saleh Khan, fielding on the boundary threw in a lightning bolt return to keeper Ruwan Migel who ran out the hapless Williams. It was a turning point in the match and after that Dundalk struggled to keep up with the required rate against excellent bowling from Galway's Mitul, Khan and Waseem.
Earlier in the day Amol had set the ball rolling for Galway with a fine 37 before Subbu took over the reigns.
It was a fitting result for club president, Ted Turton, still playing competitive cricket after 50 years in the game.
"I started playing cricket at the age of 14 and after a day like today, maybe it's time to finish on a high and call it a day.
“The group of guys we have at the Galway club now are so talented and super enthusiastic. Since the recession started the Aussies, Kiwis and South Africans have disappeared and instead we have welcomed wonderful players from the Indian subcontinent, playing alongside the Irish lads such as Conor Mullen and Ronan Mahon and really enriching cricket in Connacht.
“Conor is good enough to play at the highest level in Ireland and the addition this year of Subbu who played cricket as a boy in Bangalore in India, has been a boon for the Galway club. We are well able to challenge the best in Munster now."
