Fox Lodge captain Johnny Robinson has been around long enough to know cricket seasons rarely behave as expected, but there is something about this one that has left him wondering whether the Ballymagorry men might be on the road to something special.

Promoted back to the North West Premiership last year, Fox Lodge have done more than survive. They have settled quickly, climbed to third, and now face a defining spell.

First comes a league meeting with Robinson’s former club Brigade, the defending champions. Then comes a Senior Cup semi-final replay against Newbuildings, widely regarded as cup favourites. For Robinson, the challenge is obvious. So too is the opportunity.

“Yeah, it’s been a decent season so far,” he said. “Sitting third in the league after promotion last year, you’d have taken that.

“After Saturday, with that freak three wickets in the first over, and after the Bonds Glen game where we were chasing a big total and both were rained off, it kind of feels like we’re destined to go all the way. Hopefully we can put on a good performance at the weekend and make the final.”

That first-over chaos against Newbuildings has added intrigue to the replay. Gregory McFaul had Fox Lodge rocking immediately, taking three wickets in the opening over and almost grabbing more before rain had the final say.

“We definitely won’t be taking Newbuildings lightly,” said Robinson. “Three wickets down in the first over, it could have been four after a couple of overs, but a couple of chances were put down.

“They’ve only lost one game in the league and that was us, so we know we can beat them if we play decent cricket. Home advantage is definitely a big plus.”

Robinson is keen to stress that Fox Lodge’s strength has been collective.

“Definitely, it’s been a team effort,” he said. “If you look at the stats, the runs and wickets are shared out among a lot of the players.

“Gayan has kind of stood out with the bat and Levi Kerr has impressed with the ball, but it’s been shared out among the rest of the team as well.

“Young Swarnim Jha, who came from Bready, has had a decent start to senior cricket. He’s chipped in with a few important wickets and runs, and Jason Milligan and Brian Allen have been brilliant with the bat when needed.”

Gayan Maneeshan’s influence goes beyond runs. Robinson values an overseas professional who has become part of the club fabric.

“Gayan’s been brilliant,” said Robinson. “It’s great to have him at the club. He’s had a great season so far and he’s been just so consistent the last couple of seasons.

“You get that bit of continuity. He gets to know all the players and they get to know him. As vice-captain he’s great on the pitch, taking all the training sessions, and so connected with the youth. He’s the ideal overseas man.”

For Robinson, Senior Cup days carry special weight. He has an enviable record in finals, but one memory stands above the rest — Fox Lodge’s breakthrough triumph in 2022.

“It’s always brilliant to play in a senior cup final and even better to win it,” he said.

“I don’t actually know what it feels like to lose one. I think it’s four finals and I’ve been lucky enough to win all four. It’d be great to win another one. I think it’ll be hard to top the first one with Fox Lodge in 2022.”

That connection to Fox Lodge runs deep. Robinson may have worn other colours, including Strabane and Brigade, but Ballymagorry was always home. Now 43, he is realistic about the passing seasons, but still ambitious.

“I’ve been around a while,” he said. “I don’t know how many seasons I’ve got left.

“I started off at Fox Lodge when I was 11 or 12, then left to go to Strabane for a season, then had a few years at Brigade. But I was always going to finish my career at Fox Lodge. It’s my home club.

“It was brilliant to win that Senior Cup with them. It would be great to win a league with them before I finish up. I don’t know if that’ll happen, but we’ll definitely give it a go.”

There is family motivation too. His son Matthew has started playing cricket with the Fox Lodge thirds.

“The wee boy, Matthew, has just started playing cricket,” he said. “He’s played a few matches with the thirds. It would be great to hang around and play a few games for Fox Lodge with him before I hang up the boots.”

Robinson is due in London later this month with the Ireland Over-40s, but first comes a pivotal weekend. Brigade will test their Premiership credentials. Newbuildings will test their cup nerves. Both tests are severe, but Fox Lodge have earned the right to believe.