There was sad news over the weekend with the death of Paddy Gillespie of Strabane at the age of 88. A former North West interprovincial player, Paddy was synonymous with the Tyrone club for whom he occupied many roles over many decades.

Civil Service’s first season in the Premiership ultimately ended in disappointment as they were relegated after being pipped at the post by Rush, but there were enough encouraging individual performances to suggest their stay outside the top flight need not be a lengthy one.

Strabane proved one of the surprise packages of the North West Premiership season, the Red Caps hitting the ground running and using those early victories to remove any real fear of being dragged into a relegation battle.

This was the year when potential became achievement for CSNI. For several seasons there had been a feeling that the talent was there, that the younger players were close to turning promise into something tangible. In 2026 they did exactly that.

BREADY Thirds brought the curtain down on the North West season in style as they upset favourites Sion Mills by eight wickets to lift the League Two Cup at Magheramason.

Edinburgh Castle Rockers are the winners of the inaugural EPTL and none of the other five franchises can have any complaints.

Top performers in the inaugural season of the European T20 Premier League

Patrick Carson produced a superb unbeaten century as Coleraine secured their Premiership status for 2027 with a 43-run victory over Glendermott at Burndennett.

There will be Irish interest in the final of the ETPL at Malahide after all, with Belfast Wolves easing to a seven wickets victory in the Eliminator against Amsterdam Flames.

Balbriggan may ultimately have had to settle for third place in the Leinster Premiership, but their season represented another hugely encouraging campaign for a club now firmly established among the province’s leading sides.

Donemana’s senior season may have ended without silverware, but the averages still underline the quality that remains at the heart of the Holm side.

Cliftonville Academy may have finished seventh in the Premiership, but a season without the threat of relegation allowed the north Belfast club to take a longer-term view and give valuable senior exposure to a number of their younger players.

Bangor is celebrating one of the most successful youth seasons in its history after a summer that delivered silverware, representative honours and continued growth across its thriving junior section.

Ballyspallen have won this year’s £1,000 prize from KP Snacks (NI) to cap a memorable season for a club without a bar or a clubhouse. 

Cheered on by the Belfast Wolves – and Edinburgh Castle Rockers – Dublin Guardians caused the shock of the tournament by beating Rotterdam Dockers and knocking them out of the ETPL

Belfast Wolves were relying on their derby rivals Dublin Guardians to cause an upset and defeat Rotterdam Dockers in the final match of the league phase if they were to make Saturday’s play-off game.

Running across action-packed weekends in September, the tournament brought together communities, players, and officials from across Ireland and England to Downpatrick's iconic grounds.

It was all too easy for Amsterdam Flames as they booked their place in at least the play-off  with victory over Glasgow Cosmic, whose tournament was finished as soon as they reached Dublin.

There was no Hollywood ending for John Anderson. No title-clinching innings, no final trophy held aloft and no last-day fairytale for one of the most prolific run-scorers Irish cricket has known.

Chris Dougherty provided the outstanding individual story of CI’s season, the quietly spoken left-hander passing the remarkable 10,000-run landmark for the Belfast club during another prolific summer.

Civil Service’s relegation from the Leinster Premiership was confirmed in emphatic fashion as North County completed a crushing 122-run victory.

Merrion’s Premiership title hopes were blown away in the cruellest fashion as Robbie Foulkes inspired Malahide to an emphatic eight-wicket victory.

Rush ensured their Leinster Premiership survival with a commanding 124-run victory over Clontarf, producing one of their strongest performances of the season when it mattered most.

Craig Lewis produced a magnificent unbeaten century as Derriaghy secured their Section One survival with a 27-run DLS victory over Cregagh at Queensway.

Ireland wicket-keeper Amy Hunter has been rewarded for an impressive ODI series against England by moving up to a career-best 11th position in the ICC Women’s ODI Batting Rankings.

A Munster Over-50s XI took to the field for the first time in a landmark occasion for veterans cricket in the province, producing an entertaining contest against Old Ignatians in Cork.

Ireland Over-40s will bring the curtain down on a successful season with a mouth-watering clash against England at Leinster Cricket Club, Rathmines, on Thursday.

England duly completed a clean sweep of their three-match ODI series against England in sunny Worcester and left Ireland still waiting for their first win in the World Cup qualifying.

Arlene Kelly called time on her international career in Worcester yesterday — bowing out as Ireland suffered a third successive defeat in their World Cup qualifying series against England.

Brian MacNeice is preparing to complete a very different kind of century at the Home of Cricket as he takes on 100 laps of Lord’s Cricket Ground in a single day to raise funds for Alzheimer’s Society.

It was back to the drawing board for Gaby Lewis at Derby as her Ireland side were bowled out for 165 and lost the second one-day international to England by six wickets, and with it the three-match series. 

It was women against girls at the County Ground in Derby as England swept to a second victory in their ODI series against Ireland.

Her father Peter was the driving force behind her cricketing journey, the constant source of encouragement who helped turn a talented youngster into one of Ireland’s leading internationals. His death from cardiac disease in May 2025 left an enormous void.

Ireland Under-19s produced a determined final-day batting display to secure a draw against Yorkshire Under-18s at Sheriff Hutton after being set a daunting 332 for victory.

Rebecca Stokell stroked an unbeaten half century to take Ireland to 281-5 in Leicester only to see England charge to a six-wicket victory with 11.5 overs to spare in the first of three World Cup qualifying matches.

Dave Sihra with Isobel Joyce, who reflects on the flashpoint of working during the recent controversial Afghanistan series with the human rights abuses faced by women in the country, but what next for this issue.

Munster cricket will enter one of the fastest-growing areas of the game next week when the province stages its first ever Over-50s fixture at The Mardyke.

Railway Union were crowned All-Ireland Under-17 champions after a commanding 63-run victory over North Down in the national final at the Mardyke.

Muckamore produced a commanding batting display to defeat Fox Lodge by 150 runs and lift the Ulster Plate at Woodvale.

A superb 19th over by Byron McDonough ensured favourites Pembroke won the All-Ireland T20 Cup, beating Lisburn by 14 runs in the final at The Lawn.

Merrion defeat Holywood easily to become women's T20 champions at Waringstown.

Merrion Girls powered into the All-Ireland Under-17 final with an emphatic 81-run victory over Bready and will now face hosts Holywood at Seapark later this afternoon.

Donemana Under-15s were crowned All-Ireland champions after completing a memorable day with a convincing 30-run victory over Instonians in the final at Phoenix Park.

If new head coach Gary Wilson was under any illusion as to how tough it will be for Ireland to qualify for next year’s one-day international World Cup a 4-0 drubbing by Afghanistan over the past 10 days will have brought the size of the task into sharp focus.

The widening gulf between traditional rivals Ireland and Afghanistan was laid bare at Stormont as the tourists completed a comprehensive series clean sweep with their 10th consecutive ODI victory over the Irish.

Scotland levelled the Under-15 Celtic Cup series with a five-wicket victory over Ireland at Upritchard Park, Bangor, ensuring that the honours were shared after a week of fluctuating fortunes.

Captain Hassan Shahid produced a superb century as the Emerging North West defeated Munster Heat in the inaugural Wild Atlantic Way Trophy at the Bleachgreen, Ardmore. The new 40-over competition also featured Connacht. 

Macdara Cosgrave produced a magnificent unbeaten century as Leinster Lightning Bolts gained revenge for Tuesday’s defeat with a commanding 71-run victory over the Emerging Knights at Oak Hill.

Andy Balbirnie scored his 10th one-day international century for Ireland in Belfast but the gap between the two sides was again evident as Afghanistan completed a 42-run victory to take a winning 3-0 lead in the best-of-four series.

Munster Heat inflicted a crushing eight-wicket defeat on Emerging Warriors after a dismal batting display saw the hosts bundled out for just 76.

Half-centuries from CSNI pair Ryan Hunter and Jordan Neill helped Emerging Knights to a 31-run victory over champions Leinster Lightning Bolts at Oak Hill.

Ireland Under-15s made the perfect start to their Celtic Cup series against old rivals Scotland with a thumping 168-run victory at Upritchard Park in Bangor.

Gavin Hoey may have finished on the losing side, but the Pembroke leg-spinner emerged from Ireland’s second defeat to Afghanistan with his reputation considerably enhanced after an outstanding individual performance with both bat and ball.

Gavin Hoey top scored and took four wickets as Ireland battled hard in Belfast but it wasn’t quite enough to stop Afghanistan squeezing to a three-wicket victory to take 2-0 lead in the best-of-four one-day international series.

Typhoons won the SS50 trophy in convincing fashion with an 83 runs victory over Dragons in the title decider at Bready.

Ireland must find a way to neutralise the threat of leg-spinner Rashid Khan if they are to level their four-match one-day international series with Afghanistan in Belfast today — but as ever that is easier said than done.

Part Two of an interview with John Mooney on his time coaching with Afghanistan, the death of Shapoor Zadran, and coaching at the Indian Premier League with the Delhi Capitals.

The records tumbled at Oak Hill as Typhoons beat Dragons by 35 runs to set up a title decider for the SS50 Cup at Bready on Monday.

Leinster Lightning Bolts produced a devastating all-round performance as they crushed Munster Heat by 258 runs at the Mardyke.

Cricket clubs across Northern Ireland could knock their financial worries for six with a £1,000 cash prize this summer thanks to a campaign by KP Snacks (NI) to support its long-standing partnership with The Hundred.

Part One of an interview with the former Afghanistan fielding coach on his time with the side, his time playing against them for Ireland and his current path which has brought him to the IPL and beyond. 

Cara Murray was the stand-out performer with six wickets, although skipper Amy Hunter was the class act with 80 off 71 balls as Dragons chased down their victory target of  225 with nine overs to spare.

Ireland Under-19 Women held their nerve to defeat Scotland by six runs in a thrilling Celtic Cup decider, sealing the five-match series 3-2.

North West Warriors Women held their nerve to claim a dramatic one-wicket victory over the NCU in a low-scoring Future Series contest.

There was sad news earlier this week with the death of Godfrey Graham, who won his only cap as a teenager in 1954. By way of tribute we republish his biography compiled in 2010 by Edward Liddle.

Ireland made it two wins from two at the Castle Barnard Festival with a spectacular 289-run demolition of Cleveland Schools, powered by centuries from Alfie Moan and Vidath Geddam.

Ireland Under-19 Women made it two wins in as many days over Scotland after holding their nerve to complete a dramatic nine-run victory in another Celtic Cup thriller.

Leinster Women secured the Future Series trophy with two matches still remaining after completing an emphatic seven-wicket victory over the North West Warriors.

Leinster Lightning confirmed their dominance in the inter-provincial Cup with another devastating batting performance and crushing victory over North West Warriors in the final at Sydney Parade.

Annabel Squires produced a record-breaking century before Aisling Lawlor claimed five wickets as Leinster Women defeated the NCU by 128 runs.

Ireland have named their Over-40s squad for next week’s Triple Crown tournament at Bishop’s Stortford in England.

The Clontarf and Pembroke game will remember and honour Peter this Saturday. He will be loving people having a laugh and adding their own stories and memories of a life in cricket, not just in Sydney Parade but wherever it is that a bat and ball are in contest.

Leinster Under-19 Women completed a seven-wicket victory over the North West after Aisling Lawlor produced a superb unbeaten 92 in a successful pursuit of 198.

The North West and Northern Cricket Union Under-14 sides shared the honours with one victory apiece in an entertaining interprovincial double-header at The Rectory.

The NCU completed an impressive Under-19 girls double with a crushing 167-run victory over Leinster.

NCU Women Under-19s completed a comprehensive 93-run victory over their North West counterparts after producing a strong all-round performance in Donegal at St Johnston.

Down Memory Lane. A look back by Deryck Vincent at an Ireland U-23 tour of Scotland in 1986 - a barely believable 40 years ago with an Irish side full of future internationals and many famous names.

NCU Under-16 Girls completed a superb interprovincial campaign in emphatic fashion, sealing the title with a dominant 10-wicket victory over Cricket Leinster.

Cork County CC are running a raffle to fund much-needed roof repairs at The Mardyke.

Fintan McAllister's Leinster Under-19 side were crowned Interprovincial champions after a dramatic final day that saw them snatch the title from the NCU.

It was a madcap three days for Irish cricket but what actually happened off the Newtownards Road last Friday and Sunday.

Harlequins, Limerick, Galway and Kerry reach Munster Senior Cup last four.

Two wins in two days for MCC over hosts Munster Heat as they followed up Saturday’s success with a 38-run victory in Cork

MCC got their Southern Ireland week tour off to a perfect start with a commanding 136-run victory over Munster Heat at The Mardyke after a dominant all-round display.