Carrickfergus Cricket Club now know who they will play in all three of the main cup competitions in 2013, and two clubs who they have never met before will visit Middle Road next season. In the RSA Irish Senior Cup Carrick will face Munster Cricket Union 2012 senior league runners up and senior cup winners Cork County, who will make the long journey from the Mardyke on Saturday 11 May. Carrick, who have had a dismal record in this competition, will be hopeful of making progress against another side with a poor record in the competition. On the following day, Sunday 12 May, another side Carrick have never met, St. Johnston, will travel to Middle Road in the first round of the Clubturf Ulster Shield. The only North West Cricket Union Club from Co Donegal, they won the Irish Senior Cup in 1987, the North West Senior League in 1984 and the Senior Cup on 4 occasions, but now play in Section 2 of the Senior League. Carrick have been drawn away to Downpatrick in the Ulster Bank Challenge Cup on Saturday 25 May. Although they have won the trophy on 6 occasions, the last time being in 1997, the Co Down side have spent recent seasons in the second tier of NCU cricket. Carrick last met them in the Challenge cup quarter final of 2003 when they bowled them out for only 36 at Strangford Road, with Ryan Eagleson taking 6 for 13 and Robin Arbuthnot 4 for 22.
