On Tuesday 26th August, the Lurgan Tigers Under 13 convoy headed off for Dublin YMCA  for the All Ireland Cup semi final.  
 
Dublin won the toss and decided to have a bat.  Things could not have started much better for the Tigers when in the third over James McCollum had Copeland caught for a duck and with Matthew Bann steaming in from the other end clean bowled Bailey.  Dublin YM were struggling on 6 for 2.   Donnelly, the YM number 3  began playing some lovely shots, working the singles well and crashing 4 boundaries on his way to 32 before he was caught off the bowling of Matthew McCormick.  Donnelly and Cole had formed a very useful partnership with Cole himself constructing 34 before being run out.  At this stage Maurit arrived at the crease and it had looked as if Dublin YM were starting to get away from the Tigers but just as he got going, Matthew McCormick bowled him for 35 during the 23rd over.  This was a crucial wicket and it allowed Jack Harrison, Joel and Luke Adams to finish off the innings.  The target set for the Tigers was 171 to win, although this sounds like a mammoth target, it is worth mentioning that it was a 30 overs game, and the Tigers did bowl 46 extras which was to prove very costly. 
 
The opening pair of James McCollum and Matthew Bann started reasonably well, working singles and running hard between the wickets.Fours were beginning to flow and the boys had advanced the score to 70 for 0 at the half way stage with Matthew on 25 with James on 40.  Soon after the interval Matthew was caught at mid wicket for 28. This brought Jack Harrison to the crease.  With James finding plenty of boundaries through the point and gully areas this left Jack working singles and rotating the strike well while finding a few boundaries of his own – particularly through square leg.  Just as Lurgan had got on top of the run rate James McCollum who was on 74 was adjudged LBW off the bowling of Cole which was a vital wicket for the Dublin side. Philip Wilson arrived to the crease and worked the ball into gaps as did Luke Adams while brother Joel was unlucky to get one that stayed low – crashing into his middle stump. Matthew McCormick and Hannah Grieve were left unbeaten on 2 and 7 respectively with Hannah playing arguably the shot of the day – creaming one through extra cover.  Alas that was it, the Tigers ended up on 162 for 6, only 8 runs short of their target.
 
Although this was the first defeat for the under 13’s this season, they were unlucky in many respects to fall just short against a very good Dublin side.    
The Tigers would like to thank Dublin YM for their hospitality, congratulate them on a deserved win and wish them all the best for the final. We would also like to thank everyone who travelled to support the team yesterday.
 
The team did themselves, Lurgan and the NCU proud.