Tight win by Two Mile House NS in first Halverstown Cup schools final

Halverstown Cup winners with Stuart Conroy.

Two Mile House NS 97 v  Scoil Mhuire Ballymore Eustace 93 

Richie Benaud, the famous Australian cricketer and broadcaster would have simply said “Marvellous”, writes Des Drumm of Halverstown Cricket Club. The Halverstown Cup Final had it all. Runs, brilliant fielding and wickets a plenty. In the end it was Two Mile House NS that just got over the line with a winning score of 97-93.  

For those new to schools’ cricket, it is played as a 10-a-side game with 5 boys and 5 girls on each team. They all get to bat in pairs for 4 overs (24 balls), so all the players get equal time batting and bowling. The team that scores most runs is the winner. Those playing in the final didn’t need any introduction to the scoring system, having won through the group stages against 4 other schools over the past two weeks.  

Two Mile House won the toss and opted to bowl first, but before play got underway at Halverstown Cricket Club a special guest met the players and officials – Catherine Martin TD, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. She arrived with Senator Vincent Martin and they took time to chat with each team to wish them all the best. The Minister then rang the Halverstown Bell to signify start of play. 

Minister for Sport Catherine Martin TD, with Minister Martin Heydon and Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer.

With early wickets falling, the Two Mile House captain, Jack, must have been happy with his decision to bowl first. Donagh was the pick of their bowlers, taking three wickets during his spell. Mia and Rory for Scoil Mhuire put up a very good partnership of 21 runs and didn’t lose a wicket in their four overs. In the end, Scoil Mhuire had to be content with 93 runs to defend. The question was: would it be enough? 

The Two Mile House batters came out with steely determination. The opening pair of Jack and Erin put on 32 runs in their four overs. Not deterred, Evan of Scoil Mhuire put on a bowling masterclass that Malinga himself would have been proud of. He took 3 wickets as Scoil Mhuire roared back into the game. The captain Katya ,originally from Ukraine, looked a master tactician and also took a wicket in her bowling spell. It all came down to the final over. Evan vs Grace & Noah. A wicket for Scoil Mhuire, which they almost took with the very last ball, would have won it but Noah, who had earlier taken two wickets, found the winning runs to get Two Mile House over the line. The roar from the winning team was more Lansdowne Road than Lords and the smiles showed how much it meant to them.  

Both teams played their hearts out and it was a shame someone had to lose in this thrilling encounter. Scoil Mhuire will be back next year, perhaps to go one better, and Two Mile House will be there to defend the Halverstown Cup. Syl Merrins from Kildare Sports Partnership watched this impressive sporting occasion and felt that it can only go from strength to strength. Other notable visitors who took time out to visit Halverstown were Minister for State Martin Heydon, Nina Carberry and local Councillor Tracey O’Dwyer. 

Before the presentation schools coach and Halverstown CC Secretary, Stuart Conroy, thanked the schools and their teachers as well as Kildare Sports Partnership, without whose support none of this would have been possible. Cricket Leinster’s help was vital also, including providing Naomi Scott-Hayward and Anne O’Meara as umpires. In the end, all that was left to do was to present the runners up medals and commiserate the players from Scoil Mhuire, and to hand over the winners’ medals and the Halverstown Cup to Two Mile House. 

All the pictures from the event can be seen here, courtesy of Halverstown Cricket Club.

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