On behalf of Cover Point, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our contributors, interviewees, the many scorers who have helped patiently during the season, clubs, players, officials and Cricket Ireland for their time and support. It is greatly appreciated.

Our sponsors, RSA Insurance, TCH Group, the Towey Group, and D. R. Pigot Solicitors have been very supportive. Thank you.

On the field, it has been another historic year for Irish cricket. Ireland qualified for the 2011 (50 over) World Cup, reached the Super 8 stages of the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup, lost narrowly by 3 runs to England,  qualified for the Under 19 World Cup and signaled its intentions to apply for Full Membership of the ICC.

Off the field, Cricket Ireland has continued to strengthen and can now can boast it has top-class administrators such as Warren Deutrom and Mark Garaway.

One thought to take into 2010. No one doubts that the next few years will be immensely challenging as well as exciting for Irish cricket. We need to support the efforts of Cricket Ireland to firmly and persistently state Ireland’s case to have access to the same opportunities as the ten cricket nations ranked ahead of us.

Though the naysayers will always be there, I am reminded what Moya Doherty, the founder of Riverdance, once advised, “Never, never take no for an answer.  Go back to the corner and find another route.  But whatever you do, get where you want to get.”

Have a joyful Christmas.

                           Liam Rooney