Neil Gill feels Muckamore’s maiden Gallagher Challenge Cup triumph since 1963 was “written in the stars” after the Antrim club celebrated their 150th anniversary year by winning the most prestigious prize in local cricket.

The Moylena outfit were only promoted back to the Northern Cricket Union’s top-flight ahead of this season after going unbeaten throughout a dominant Section One campaign and are now toasting glory following Friday’s seven-wicket (DLS) win over Lisburn at Stormont.

In a showpiece decider that was impacted multiple times by rain, Ireland international Mark Adair (56) led Lisburn, who were chasing a first Challenge Cup crown since 1994, to 265/8 with important contributions from Glenn Halliday (45*) and Jonny Waite (41).

With further bad weather revising Muckamore’s chase to 168 inside 32 overs, Mark Gleghorne (47*) and Ben Calitz (42*) held their nerve to see Gill’s men over the line with three balls to spare in a dramatic conclusion – the latter scored 10 runs off the first three deliveries of the final over.

placeholder image — Muckamore celebrate winning the Gallagher Challenge Cup. PIC: Pacemaker Press.

The Challenge Cup has been dominated by CIYMS, Waringstown and CSNI over recent times – those three teams account for 11 competition victories since 2010 – and what makes this an even more remarkable achievement for Muckamore is the fact they’ve done it without an overseas professional.

"I’m so, so proud of them,” said Gill, “They’ve been brilliant all year...we’ve had a lot of tight games and won them, which stood us in good stead today.

"We’re a team – yes, Jason van der Merwe is an absolute gun, but if you look at our scorecards every week there are boys chipping in with wickets and runs so it’s just incredible.

"To be able to bring the Challenge Cup trophy back to Moylena tonight for all the legends of the club...there are still a couple who played in that last final who were here today so that’s for them and all the supporters...it’s incredible.”

Muckamore had to earn their winning moment the hard way, beating CIYMS, CSNI and current Premier League leaders Woodvale in the semi-final before seeing off reigning LVS Twenty20 Cup champions Lisburn.

With this a landmark year in the club’s history and many members who have played their role in previous successes present in Belfast, Gill took great pleasure in delivering on – and ultimately bettering – his pre-season ambition to reach a senior cup final.

"It just seemed to be written in the stars,” he added. “I said at the start of the year that I’d love to get to a final and once you get there you want to win it – we’ve gone and done it.

"It’s Roy of the Rovers stuff and what you dream about. To say you want to get to a final is one thing, but to go and actually do it is another. What I loved about this cup run is we played CIYMS away, CSNI at home and then Woodvale – that’s a really tough passage to the final. That makes it all the more special.”