Andrew Balbirnie yesterday posted a plea on social media for the return of a 100-year old Leinster trophy.

Balbirnie won the 2025 Marchant Cup, awarded to the leading batter in CL senior competition, but in his absence the trophy was presented to a Pembroke club-mate at the annual dinner in January. However, the trophy disappeared that night and has still not been recovered.

The Ireland test captain posted on Instagram: ‘So if you were around Dawson Street on the night of 30/01/26 and saw or even have this trophy, I’d only be thrilled to take it back on behalf of our absolutely mortified family. Please do share.’

The silver cup (pictured above) was presented to the Leinster Cricket Union in 1922 in memory of Stewart Marchant who had been killed in World War I. Marchant  played for Clontarf for the 1914 season before joining the Royal Dublin Fusiliers.

He was killed in action on June  4, 1917 and buried in Flanders. The trophy was paid for by Marchant’s father Thomas, with the stipulation that should the Leinster Cricket Union ever be dissolved the Cup will be returned to the Marchant family.

Meanwhile, the first round draws for the All-Ireland club cup competitions were announced yesterday, with a mouth-watering meeting of the two strongest sides in the country, Pembroke and  Waringstown, the highlight.

The opening round of the Irish Senior Cup and National Cup will be held on May 9 with the finals then taking place over the weekend of August 15-16 in Clontarf. Finals Day for the men’s and women’s All-Ireland T20 will take place in Waringstown on August 23.