A superb 19th over by Byron McDonough ensured favourites Pembroke won the All-Ireland T20 Cup, beating Lisburn by 14 runs in the final at The Lawn.

 

With the NCU side needing 23 from the last two overs, with five wickets in hand,  the Ireland international, who was able to play in the final as he has not got an ETPL gig, dismissed Ewan Wilson, Adam Berry and Callum Atkinson in his first four balls and 21 off the last over proved too big an ask for Mike McComish and Ben Walsh. The over that gave McDonough final figures of five for 20 earned him the Player of the Match.

 

The chase for 182 had been set up by a second wicket stand of 114 between Judd Markham and Michael Jones,  the Scotland international, now with Lancashire, who was signed by Lisburn as a replacement for Jon Hinrichsen.

 

Both teams were vastly under-strength but Pembroke have proven all season they can cope without internationals Tim and Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker  and Gavin Hoey. Lisburn’s strength in depth is not so deep but they gave Pembroke a scare.

 

The feature of an entertaining final was two incredible boundary catches. In the first innings, JJ Garth was caught by Adam Berry after a spectacular dive by Jones who palmed  the ball to Berry. That was the difference between a final total of 181 and 190. In the end the difference was the arguably even more remarkable boundary save by Garth, ironically, who pushed  the ball some 20 yards to Olly Riley to dismiss Markham for 68. He had faced just 35 balls and hit eight fours and four sixes.

 

When Jones followed immediately after bringing up a 32-ball 50, with four fours and two sixes, two overs later, it was 131 for three and Pembroke sensed blood.

 

James Hunter played on and captain Neil,Whitworth holed out to backward point in the next two overs and although Ewan Wilson and Berry edged Lisburn 19 runs closer, McDonagh ended the hopes of an upset.

 

When Pembroke decided to bat first, Andrew Balbirnie, also not picked up for the EPTL, launched the innings with a boundary four but was caught at deep square next ball.

 

Garth was dropped in the fourth over and captain Jack Tector was given a life before he had reached double figures. They were to prove costly as the pair added 83 for the third wicket until Tector was caught at long-off for 47 off just 26 balls.

 

Garth just failed to bat through the innings but two balls and 20 overs later, he had done enough. Pembroke had their fourth trophy of the season and the League title awaits, a maximum of three wins away from a unique quintuplet.