DAVY’S ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Donemana took a giant step towards winning the Premiership at the weekend thanks to Billy Dougherty’s last-gasp heroics, with the keeper hitting two sixes to secure a last over two wickets win. Part of their success this season has been the impact of pace bowler David O’Sullivan. It’s been quite a journey for the Australian with Irish ancestry.

“I was born in Sydney where I played cricket until I was 15 before I suffered a serious knee injury that meant I couldn’t play for two years. Meanwhile my father was working in London back and forth. I travelled over there and had a trial at Surrey, which was successful and they asked me to join their age-group stuff. I had missed out on the New South Wales youth system because of my knee so I joined their set-up.

“I then went to Cardiff University where I played two first-class matches as part of the Combined Universities, but yet again injury struck and I suffered a stress fracture of my back and that started my back problems where I struggled to finish a season. I had surgery at the end of 2019 that fixed it. However, after doing well with Surrey in the Second XI, I got an ankle injury and by that time they were seeing me as injury prone.”

It was while playing with the Free Forresters against the Ireland Academy that O’Sullivan came to the attention of Albert van der Merwe of Cricket Ireland.

“During the three-day game Albert was made aware of my Irish background through my grandparents who were from County Mayo and Derry, emigrating to England when my dad was young, with my father then going to Australia. Albert felt I could add to the Irish bowling stocks and helped set up the move to Donemana.”

The 27-year-old graduated from Cardiff with honours in his Sports-Science degree and is currently finishing a Masters Degree at Loughborough University doing his dissertation on back injuries. He’s having to adapt to the local game but is relishing the challenge, having had to remodel his action to take the pressure off his spine.

“The cricket has been a good standard, but the weather has been a challenge with all the rain. I’ve never played 40-overs cricket before, so the North West is unique in that respect. The club is great and you couldn’t meet a nicer bunch of blokes who have helped me settle in. I'm in a house just up the road from the club with Rumesh, our overseas professional.

Donemana have four games left, two of which take place this weekend at home to Coleraine and Eglinton.

“We have been struggling a bit with the bat, so to chase down a target last week at Ardmore was confidence boosting. We know we have got so much room to improve to get to where we can be, setting and chasing down big totals. That’s one box ticked and hopefully we can go on and get the wins we need for the league.”

O’Sullivan has been impressed by the quality of his team-mates, with two in particular standing out.

“Andy McBrine is an exceptional player, with his experience, a great cricketing brain, and all the skills you need at any level. As a fast bowler, I really admire Gary Neely because of his longevity. Despite approaching 50, he keeps going, knows his body and has resisted the temptation to do as many pacemen become, spinners. He bowls how he wants to and the fact he is still bowling fast is a real testament to him.”

The highlight of his season so far has been the Senior Cup final, and although Donemana lost, O’Sullivan found the two days exhilarating.

“It was a really amazing occasion. You would never get anything like that in English or Australian club cricket. It was special with all those spectators on the sidelines going crazy. I had no idea what to expect going into it with my first experience of it at a new club. Once I was out there it was pure adrenaline for the whole game and great to be a part of it even though we lost.”

Hopefully the affable paceman, who will be back at Donemana next season, will have a Premiership medal in the coming weeks to make up for the disappointment of that final loss.