Leinster Lightning Coach Trent Johnston on his Side's Thrilling Victory

Barry Chambers: You certainly made it hard for yourself, but delighted to get the win I'm sure?

Trent Johnston: Yeah absolutely. You know I said to the guys after the game, if we sort of sit back and read the press talking about Leinster being shoo-ins for three trophies, I think we've just realised that we're in a hell of a battle. I think the NCU Boys outplayed us with the ball.

They certainly probably got a little bit lucky in certain areas with the bat, but you know I think that it took a special innings from Kevin again to get us over the line. We were gone at 8 for 180, 8 for 190. So credit to NSU they played very well and you can look at their team, they've got probably seven internationals in their team as well. So this competition is anything but a shoo-in for Leinster Lightning.

And I have made that quite clear to our guys, and they know that. So we were below par today, and it nearly cost us the game. But like I said a special innings got us over the line.

Barry Chambers: A great start to the tournament, sunshine, big crowds, couldn't wish for more?

Trent Johnston: No, perfect, exactly what we wanted. You know great facilities, great wicket out there, probably a little on the slow side early on, but I think it was fantastic. A good crowd, good atmosphere. Whenever the sun is shining in Ireland, it's always going to be a good days cricket. So proud to be a part of it, and I hope, or I don't hope that the rest of the games are that close.

Barry Chambers: You must feel it's a motivation for other teams, just to see how strong you are. You know you're up there to be punched at, and the NCU and the North West are going to come at you hard. I think this was, maybe, I wouldn't say a wakeup call, but it's certainly a reminder.

Trent Johnston: Well myself and Kevin spoke about it this morning, about complacency and if we weren't on our A Game in all three disciplines we would be getting beaten here today, and we nearly did that. So you know I think a pleasing thing for me is how well Albert (Albert van der Merwe) and Eddie (Eddie Richardson) bowled. You know the two guys that have got the interprovincial contracts at the moment from the Leinster Lightning. And those guys were outstanding out there today.

Eddie got the breakthrough early on, Albert bowled probably the best I've seen him bowl in a few years, going back to sort of the five for he got against Canada in 2010. So to have that was outstanding, and that's a good reflection on the competition, that those guys can come in and have been rewarded for their good solid club performances, and come out and perform on this stage.

That's what the likes of Eddie Richardson needs. He needs that gap between Club Cricket and International Cricket, and he got it here today, and realised that he can do it. So you know, I can't wait for the next game.

Barry Chambers: Maybe a final word about Kevin O'Brien's special innings?

Trent Johnston:  Yeah just you know we've seen it before, and he's more than capable of doing it. I think the big thing for Kevin in that innings, he paced himself well, and I know I was only out there for two or three balls, but he said if we could bat eight overs, me and him, we could get over the line. So he knew that it was going to go down to the last over.

He knew that they had to find a couple of overs from different players. You know it's a smart innings from a guy that's certainly maturing, and he knows his game inside out, and he works harder than probably anyone in the Irish set up at the moment. He's been out hitting balls, and out here today a great hundred to justify getting the boys over the line.