Cricket Club hosts awards evening

30 October 2024

DOWNPATRICK Cricket Club held their end of season awards presentation in The Hunt Club on Saturday night.

The 65 members and guests in attendance were treated to excellent food from Namaste, Belfast, and music from ex-playing members Paul Linehan and Robert Shilliday.

It was a remarkable season as four years ago the club hit rock bottom with no league fixtures, only playing in cups and friendlies.

Fast forward three seasons, and the club’s transformation has been unbelievable, with the ex-international ground in all its splendour.

This is all mainly down to a very small, hard-working committee and great teamwork from club manager Ravi Ningegowda and schools and junior convenor Jeff Maguire, with

a very committed bunch of players.

All-rounder and coach Marco Wyngard also deserves a share of the praise as a fantastic leader. His work coaching in many local schools has been fantastic and hopefully he can build on stability in coaching juniors, ladies and schools.

Downpatrick know promotion to section one brings a far tougher challenge and that is what the management are already planning for, with new signings to strengthen the squad, a pre-season trip to Spain and friendly matches.

Success is simply not measured by winning trophies. The club is every bit as proud of promotion and the seconds winning back-to-back leagues as they are of fulfilling every fixture and seeing U-15 players Sachin St John, Max Whitaker and Samuel McEvoy, and U-13 Players, Aiden Jenesh and Sam Magowan playing and performing well for the senior third team.

This shows the extensive cross-community schools program and junior sessions are paying dividends, with plans for development games for a youthful senior fourth team and U-13/15 tour to Scotland in July.

The ladies soft ball team will be involved in friendlies, with the option to go on tour.

Coach Wyngard has improved them in all three aspects of the game and it was fitting that Le Anne Ringland was the first winner of the female club person of the year.

Paddy Flynn was named clubman of the year, having managed to cut the outfield, often twice a week, in a very wet season.

Special mention to Wyngard, who masterminded the unbeaten eight-game run to gain promotion, and Lijo Mathews, the seconds skipper, who was superb on and off the pitch to win 12-in-a-row after losing two out the first three fixtures, and Samuel Irwin, who bagged 51 wickets.

Special thanks to club scorer Keith Jones, who fought back from life-threatening injury. It was a privilege to have his expertise in scoring fixtures.

The club is indebted to all our sponsors, but special mention to club president Norman Ferguson, John Killen of Seaforde Metals, Conor McKibben of Brennans Seaforde, Clanmil, Finnebrogue and Mark Murphy.

First XI player of the year: Charlie Hutton.

Second XI player of the year: Jijo Mathews.

Third XI player of the year: Jake Wright.

Midweek XI player of the year: Nayeem Agadi.

U-15s player of the year: Max Whitaker.

U-13 player of the year: Sam Magowan.

U-11s player of the year: Troy Hanna-Wade.

Linehan Trophy (All Rounder): Sidharth Kumar.

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