I felt sorry for the Balbriggan fans as I drove out of the Bready ground and headed for Donemana. All that way and their top-order batting had let them down. 69 for 5. I hope they get to 150 and at least give their supporters a bit of respectability.

Paul Stirling at Donemana hit 88 and I stayed around to watch Andy McBrine get his half century too while keeping one eye on the score down the road at Magheramason.

Farooq Nasr and Seb De Oliveria had both passed 50 and the 200 was approaching. Great. At least it will be a game as I sped down the Duncastle Road hoping to be in time for one of the two reach their hundred.

The stand of 142 had been broken when I arrived in the 42nd over - 221 for 6. I parked the car and the board read 238 for 6 with Farooq Nasr on 78 and the new batsman on 20 already.

I was there in Bangalore when Kevin O'Brien beat England with a 50-ball hundred. Power, timing, bit of luck. Momentum.

Jordan Hollard over the course of the next 40 minutes channelled his inner Kevin O'Brien and proceeded to dispatch the ball to all parts of the County Tyrone ground and beyond.

A few went up on the roof, some more over it and other down into the adjacent playground.

The stats show 100 not out in 42 balls - 6 fours and 9 sixes. A privilege to be able to say I was there.

I don't know Farooq Nasr but full credit to him. He knew Hollard was in the zone and made sure he got as much of the strike in those late overs, selflessly foregoing any chance of his own personal landmark. Respect.

A total of 331 for 7 while a formidable one isn't by any means a winning one on the excellent track and fast outfield that Trevor Hamilton and his groundstaff at Bready have curated over the past years.

Allied with the quality and depth that Clontarf have in their batting ranks, we could get a classic.

Mitchell Thompson (60) and Seamus Lynch (17) started brightly, and with Eoghan Delany (48) playing an anchor role, they laid a decent platform, alebit the required rate kept climbing.

Dylan Lues, Andy Darroch and Jordan Hollard squeezed the chase and when Patrick Xie (20) fell, Clontarf were 158 for 5, needing 174 in 17 overs with their big guns all back in the hutch.

I then started feeling a bit sorry for Clontarf. A long journey back and they hadn't really given it a go. Why didn't they be a bit more adventerous in their approach?

Only the kids left and as Alan Hansen said in 1993, and Barry Chambers in 2025, you win nothing with kids.

I was right, but boy did Clontarf's talented teenagers nearly prove me wrong.

John McNally hit 68 from 51 balls ( 4 fours, 3 sixes), Ethan Marshall 43 from 27 (2 fours, 4 sixes) and Luke Thomson 36 from 23 (2 fours, 3 sixes) all kept swinging and connecting to give Clontarf real hope.

They certainly gave Balbriggan a fright, and it wasn't only until the very end that they could relax and celebrate.

It's always nice to be a part of history and for Balbriggan this will be a game and a cup run that will be etched into their folklore for generations. I'm sure amidst all the joy there will have been the odd tear shed too for all the past members no longer with us who laid the foundations for yesterday's success.

Hope Kerr was there to hand over the 'Bob Kerr trophy' named in honour of her late husband, earlier having rung the Roy Torrens bell - Joan and her daughters also in attendance.

 Absent friends remembered on a day to remember.