Talking to David Delany ahead of Saturday’s Leinster Senior Cup final, the Clontarf captain manages to get Joe Root, James Anderson and Mark Adair into the conversation as he looks ahead to the latest titanic showdown with Pembroke.

It will be the third meeting of the season between the teams who have won the previous two Senior Cup finals after meeting in the 2022 League Cup final. So, no shortage of big-match experience in the line-ups and the batters could hardly be in better form so prepare for another run-fest at Sydney Parade.

Clontarf scored 427 for four last weekend against Cork County with David Vincent contributing 172 himself while Pembroke hit 203 for three in just 30 overs to beat Malahide, six days after amassing 474 for three in their Cup semi-final against North County, when Blake McDonald set all sorts of records with a personal 263 not out.

The most significant match, however, was surely Clontarf’s Irish Cup victory over their Cup final opponents, a day after Pembroke beat them by six wickets at Castle Avenue in the Premiership.

“We go into the game with confidence after our past performances but acknowledge that Pembroke at home will be billed as favourites,” says Delany. “They are a magnificent team with world-class players. You only have to look at Leinster Lightning and see the impact of Lorcan (Tucker), Harry and Tim (Tector), Barry (McCarthy) and Gavin (Hoey) and then add on Andrew Balbirnie, not to mention the famous Blake McDonald.

“But we are having a tremendous season and have won 18 of our 21 matches. The players have been magnificent and their potential for growth and improvement is endless.

“The batters are playing the game they have wanted and we are bowling fast and our spinners have unlocked a next gear. We have used our squad depth and every player has stepped up and performed beyond their capacity.”

And they have had to step up because until last weekend they were without Curtis Campher but the Ireland international announced his return from injury with a stunning innings of 114 not from 45 balls (eight fours, nine sixes).

“Curtis is a champion asset,” says his captain. “He sees the game so clearly and grabs the players around him and brings them to places like no Clontarf player ever before. It was a pity he was injured for such a portion of the season but with Curtis playing we are a 20 per cent better team.”

Ask him about other potential match-winners and Delany says “we have such an incredible luxury to have 10 all-rounders in the team.

“We have the youthful exuberance of Reuben Wilson and his rhythmical spells bearing close similarities to James Anderson.

“Mitchell Thompson has been in remarkable form opening the batting with Seamus Lynch. They have unpicked the type of form that all successful teams display. One hour at the crease and the game has tilted incredibly in our direction.

“Eoghan Delany has mimicked the trajectory of Joe Root – the more experienced he gets the better he becomes. The volume of his runs at the right tempo has been vital for our success.

“Fionn Hand has missed significant portions of the season through injury and is still missing from our bowling, but he is the pillar of our team’s personality. He has an incredible ability to play a mixed array of funky, crazy and ludicrous shots but always come off.”

As for his own performances, Delany admits he is not batting as efficiently or effectively as he has in the past (he still won the quarter-final against Phoenix with 121 not out) “but I’m trying to make incremental gains and expand my game, striving to be a Mark Adair 2.0.

“But my bowling has been improving steadily (capped by figures of 7-19 in the Cup semi-final against Railway Union) and I have done a significant amount of remodelling and biomechanical work with coaches over the winter. I am now feeling confident I can reach my previous pace heights.”

There is plenty of confidence in the Pembroke camp as well – and why shouldn’t there be. The victory margins in their route to the final were (all by runs) 164, 101 and 282.

Although it appeared to be a one-man show in the semi-final, captain Paul Lawson says that “everyone has contributed to get us this far.

“Jack Tector has been great for us all season and most consistent in each round (109 and 64). Other obvious performances have been Gavin Hoey’s 5-24 in round one and in any other season, before Blake did what he did in the semi-final, Andy Balbirnie’s 150 not out in the quarter-final against The Hills would be the stand-out batting display. But there’s match-winners throughout our side which fills us with confidence going into the weekend.”

Their only League defeat was against North County on the opening day of the season – it was quite the revenge in the semi-final! – but Lawson has no complaints about either of Pembroke’s 50-over defeats.

“North County were excellent that day and despite a good performance against Clontarf in the League they turned it around very quickly and were outstanding in the Irish Cup – very much deserved winners on the day,” he added.

Lawson is still without the injured McCarthy and expecting another tough game on Saturday despite having home advantage this time.

“Clontarf are a very good side and have got stronger as the season has gone on. Curtis is a dangerous player and is an obvious threat but they’ve got plenty of depth too. We are not too fussed who’s given the tag of favourites as it’s clearly two strong sides. Playing at Pembroke definitely helps but cup finals are all about performances on the day so hopefully we can tie it all together and put in another one on Saturday.”

The last word goes to Lawson on his Australian professional and that remarkable innings in the semi-final when he hit 30 fours and 15 sixes.

“We all knew what Blake was capable of before he came over and he had shown glimpses of that at various stages this season but against North County it all came together for him and we were delighted to be there to witness it.

“He looked great again against Malahide last Saturday (top scoring with 84) so hopefully he can continue that into the weekend.”

It he does the holders will take some stopping as they bid to become the first team to lift the Cup in successive years since 2015 when the winners were - Clontarf.

Teams:

Clontarf: D Delany (capt), S Lynch, M Thompson, E Delany, C Campher, P Xie, J McNally, E Marshall, A Delany, R Wilson, C McDonnell

Pembroke (from) : P Lawson (capt), A Balbirnie, M Berry, JJ Garth, G Hoey, B Macdonald, B McDonough, D Murray, L Tucker, H Tector, J Tector, T Tector