Anton Weir RIP

“Nah, I only ever picked the seam” Broph unashamedly confesses outside St Sylvester’s Church in the Village after the Funeral Mass on a beautiful sunny midweek April morning.  A small group of us were reflecting on Anton’s determination to keep a shine on the ball during a game.  Not everyone facilitated!

There were plenty of highlights.  6 for 22 in 19 overs for North Leinster v Ulster Town in New Forge, Belfast in 1993.  The match winning partnership with Conor Armstrong to snatch victory from the jaws in the Lewis Traub League Final in 1998 at Rathmines.  

With five overs remaining the pair smashed and ran near 60 runs to chase down Merrion’s total of 230 to give the Village a first Senior One trophy in a number of years.  

The All-Ireland Final in 2002 v Rush at Castle Avenue when Anton and younger brother Robert hit off the winning runs. They had that brother thing going on when running between the wickets, sometimes a nod, sometimes not, but seldom the need for a call.  

Also in the same year the All Ireland semi-final v Donemana in Malahide when the siblings again combined with a significant partnership to bring the Village home in a memorable win.  

Anton was involved in the two near misses in consecutive All Ireland semis in 1993 v Brigade (2 wicket loss) and 1994 v Limavady (1 wicket loss).  Going back in time when Anton was a teenager I remember him taking 8 for 11 for the Seconds v Leinster.  Former Irish great Dougie Goodwin who was coming to the end of his career taking the other two.
 
Anton was a bowling all-rounder.  Although not tall he maximised his height by releasing the ball at the top of his action. Away swing was his stock ball.  With a good keeper standing up and a safe pair of hands at slip, namely his pal Stephen Rubbathan, he could be a handful for the best of batsman.  

He probably lacked that bit of pace to move beyond the interprovincial ranks. He could also bat, mostly at middle or lower order contributing many valuable, selfless runs. Towards the end of an innings he always tried to squeeze that extra run or boundary which sometimes resulted in dismissal.  Just not interested in not outs.  

Anton died sadly before his time. May his gentle soul Rest in Peace

LEINSTER SENIOR 1 STATS (courtesy of Derek Scott)
183 Matches: 1986 - 2007

WICKETS    AVERAGE    BEST
      175          21.81            7/30
RUNS        AVERAGE    BEST
 1854               15.45        79

INTERPROVINCIAL STATISTICS – NORTH LEINSTER: 1992-1994
MATCHES    WICKETS    RUNS SCORED
  11                      12                   115

Brian Gilmore 2025