Lismore CC ended the season in the best possible way- with a blitz and a sausage sizzle! The Lismore Knights hosted visiting U13 players from Cork Harlequins Cricket Club and Cork County Cricket Club for an action-packed kids blitz of matches and fun. It was fantastic to see the energy and commitment of the talented youngsters on display, all enjoyed by a good turnout of parents and supporters.
Lismore CC is one of the success stories of the Smash It! Programme in the province. Driven by club leaders Dan Dixon, Nat Symcox, Brendan Coyle and Kevin Cotter, the club now has the basis of an excellent youth section that will hopefully lead to Lismore fielding teams in our underage competitions in the near future. The ‘Lismore Knights’ (9-14 year olds) are waiting in the wings with some skilled youth players awaiting their chance to play more competitive games.
The day was made all the more special for the children with the excellent coaching sessions presented by Munster Reds star player Liam McCarthy, funded by the Lismore club and a good way to help raise the profile of the game in the area. It also demonstrates the ‘can do’ attitude of the club in its drive to create a vibrant youth section and drive on for the future. Liam guided the teams through batting, bowling and fielding drills, which were thoroughly enjoyed by the kids and parents alike. Many thanks to Rashi from Cork County and Sukhi from Cork Harlequins for organising the teams, and to the parents for bringing so much delicious food!
Huge shoutout to KOB Cricket Academy and Kevin O’Brien for making Liam’s visit possible. The support of Kevin helps the club to continue to grow!
-editor’s note: Lismore is a testament to the belief in the growth of cricket in Munster. We will be rolling out school programmes in the area over the coming months with taster sessions, tournaments and blitzes to help keep ever more children taking up the sport and continuing to bolster the number of young players joining local clubs. Lismore hope to make this blitz an annual event.
