We continue our series of club all-time greatest XI's and this time it's the turn of Ardmore. Former player, international umpire and NW President Connie McAllister selects his side and as always it's given him plenty of food for thought.

Our 'rules' don't allow for judges to include themselves, otherwise Connie himself would have come in for serious consideration as the left-arm spinner is one of, if not the leading senior wicket taker for the Bleachgreen club formed in 1879. 

BOBBY BAIRD -  A fearsome opening pace bowler who once took 100 wickets in a season. I can only wish we had the likes of him now. A very modest man who had tons of ability.

CYRIL WARD (jun). A great and very stylish left-handed batsman who could score very quickly. He was part of the NW Guinness Cup winning side in the first year of the interpros and for many years afterwards. He could be a little talkative but second to none as a superb opening batsman.

SANJEEV SHARMA (pro). Probably the best all-rounder to have ever played for Ardmore. He was a very prolific wicket-taker and could be devastating with his pacy inswinging Yorkers. He also scored heavily and consistently. He of course played Test cricket for India and you don't do that unless you are exceptional, which he certainly was. He just edged out Raman Lamba in my choice, given Raman was only here one season.

PATSY MC DERMOTT (w/k). His selection may comes as a surprise but I have my reasons. He had the best attitude to competitions I ever say. He had a great attitude and never gave up no matter what the match situation. He was an inspiration to younger members of the side. He would never let you down. 

DECKER CURRY. One of the greatest big hitters of all-time whose century scoring feats are legendary - 99 in his career. A delight to watch in full flow - as long as you weren't bowling to him. He was also a very useful spinner and had bucket hands in the slips. He also had a great attitude - he was a winner and that rubbed off on others. He should have won more than 50 caps for Ireland. He was a class act.

WILLIE DUNLOP. A great cricketer who loved to pass on his knowledge to youngers players. He was a very talented batsman in the 1950s and 60s and also a more than useful spin option when called upon. 

JACKIE LAIRD. One of the best all-rounders Ardmore ever had. I remember as a young boy watching him score a century against Eglinton in a Faughan Valley Cup game on the first night, and the following night when the game resumed he took a hat-trick. A remarkable feat, and one that I can't recall happening since in a senior game. A miraculous performance.

NIGEL THOMPSON. To date the only captain from Ardmore to bring home the Senior Cup. Without doubt the proudest moment for the club who to that point had lost eight finals and many thought that the so called 'Gypsy curse' would never be broken. An excellent all-rounder who represented Ireland on many occasions.

BRENDAN MC ALLISTER. I hesitated to include my brother Brendan in case I'd leave myself open to accusations of nepotism. But I remembered talking with Tommy Harpur of Sion Mills a few years ago and he was of the opinion that Brendan was the best all-rounder Ardmore had ever produced. That was good enough for me. Brendan was another excellent all-rounder, and like many of the team left-handed, and was a quite superb fielder. His catch to dismiss Hanif Mohammed at Strabane for the North West was one of the best ever seen.

BOBBY BROLLY. An opening bat of distinction and probably the best clubman Ardmore ever had. He will down in the annals of the club history as 'Mr Cricket' in the Ardmore area. He was dedicated to the club for all of his life and at times held the club together through some very tough passages. He almost single-handedly kept youth cricket going at the Green when it seemed to be on the brink. 

GEORGE BROLLY. I've saved my old friend George to last. A great bowler who again was part of the inaugural NW Guinness Cup winning side. George had some legendary performances taking nine wickets in a senior game at least twice to my knowledge. he was also a very useful attacking middle-order batsman.

Of course there have been a lot of great cricketers at the club over the last 147 years and I'd like to give some of them honorable mentions in my deliberations.

The Cooke brothers were exceptionally talented cricketers but their nomadic nature meant they were only at the club a short while. For the same reason I discounted Mark Gillespie who was only at the club for a very successful year back in 2002, helping them to two trophies, and has already been included in the all-time Strabane XI chosen by Joe Doherty.

Tom McDermott was another given serious consideration as was Charlie McGowan. Charlie was a lion-hearted man who would never let you down. Gerard Brolly was another who came very close to selection. I was a little concerned though about his temperament which could if things didn't go his way upset team harmony. 

Others who came close to making the cut were Gerard Ward, George Gillen and Marcus Taylor. Marcus was one of the cricketers that I played with that I admired the most and was a member of the All-Ireland Junior Cup winning side when we beat Tramore down in Dublin. Eamon McLaughlin was an excellent bat, while Willie Elliott was a great cricketer who I'm guessing not many know also played soccer with Bohemians in Dublin - a very talented all-round sportsman.

Paul Brolly was another, who has continued in the same vein as his father, keeping the Brolly legacy very much alive in Ardmore. Together with his two sons and others are very enthusiastic about getting excellent pitches prepared and the ground looking as well as it can be. 

Ardmore have been blessed with some great club people down the years with the likes of Dermot and Noel Ward too.  

If I was allowed to have a champagne moment for a player it would have to be Edwin 'Ding' Gallagher for his display in winning the Faughan Valley Cup against Donemana in the early 90's. We needed 45 off four overs with not many wickets left. Thanks to Ding's unbeaten 34 off 10 balls we won it with an over to spare! He also caught a great catch that day - the Man of the Match trophy when it was thrown at him in the post-match presentation.....

I've no doubt the side I've selected would score 300 plus every week and with five fast bowlers and three spinners would have little trouble bowling sides out too.

Just as importantly as far as I'm concerned it's well balanced in terms of entertainment afterwards in the bar with singers, comedians and jokers!!