Delighted Mooney Looking for Lightning to Strike Early on Day 3 To Wrap Up Victory over North West Warriors

A delighted John Mooney was full of praise for a fantastic rearguard action from Fintan McAllister and Max Sorensen.

At 127 for 9 the Lightning looked like being behind on first innings score. But a partnership  between Sorensen and McAllister that fell just short of 100 took care of the deficit and gave the Lightning a lead of 44.

Mooney himself then took centre stage with a brilliant spell of 4 for 8 in 7 overs.

Leinster Lightning need 5 more wickets tomorrow to wrap up victory with the Warriors needing 24 to make Leinster bat again.

Barry Chambers: John, fantastic performance by the Lightning. You fought back very well there at the end?

John Mooney: Yeah, brilliant from the lads. Great rearguard action, `Finto' (Fintan McAllister) and `Maxi' (Max Sorenson) and then myself and Eddie bowling well there at the end to really put them under pressure. But all credit to that North West bowling attack, because they bowled superbly, `Youngie' (Craig Young) fantastic like.

Barry Chambers: Yes, and yourself getting four wickets to follow up the three in the first innings, you must be pleased with your form?

John Mooney: Yes, I've been bowling in club cricket, and I don't know what I've done, but I can't get wickets at all there, but bowling really well. Like Eddie has been picking up the wickets, and between us we've been bowling really well as a partnership, and we did that again tonight, which I'm really pleased with.

Barry Chambers: And there's obviously great depth to the Leinster Lightning. I mean Max and Fintan McAllister aren't your typical 10 and 11. They've both got hundreds in Senior Cricket?

John Mooney: Both good players, and Fintan especially there looked really compact, really you know, suited to this longer format of the game. And that's what we're trying to do through the whole series, is breed that type of cricketer. And you can really see it with Finto there, he was fantastic.

Barry Chambers: And there's a good competitive edge to the game. I mean obviously with the World Cup next year and not a lot of international cricket, players are desperate to get those places, and you could see that in the performances, yourself, Craig Young, Max, they're all fighting to get on the plane?

John Mooney: Yeah, but I'd also put the likes of Johnny Thompson and Andy Riddles and lads like that up there as well, because these boys are fantastic club players, doing really well in the Inter Pro Series.

And everybody is realising that there's places on the Irish Team, and you know, I want one of those places, and so does everybody else. And that makes the games really really competitive, and really good.

Barry Chambers: Have you noticed any difference in the North West Warriors, although 20 for 5 mightn't show it, but for a long period of this game, they gave you all you wanted?

John Mooney: Yeah, like the bowlers have been on top the whole game. But what has impressed me about the North West Team has been their application, they haven't given their wickets away.

We've been made to fight hard for their wickets, we've had to bowl a lot of good balls. We've had to build a lot of pressure to try and get them out. And I think last year it was a bit easier to get their wickets, but this year certainly not. I think Bobby Rao has done great work with them.

Barry Chambers: And you'll be looking to wrap things up, but it mightn't be too easy, because they do, like yourselves, they have a bit of depth to their batting?

John Mooney: Well I won't be happy until I see the back of Johnny (Johnny Thompson) and Aggie (Andrew Riddles) and people like that, because they're just fierce competitors. And until they are out, you know, no North West Team is ever beaten.