‘Sportsmanship is the cornerstone on which our club was built.’
Lurgan Cricket Club is Formed
In 1922 Lurgan Cricket Club was formed by the amalgamation of Brownlow and Lurgan YMCA Cricket Clubs.
The inaugural President was H C Malcolm and Leo Donnelly was the first Captain. Until that time Brownlow had played on the ground in Lurgan Park beside which the Jubilee Fountain now stands, and the YMCA Club had used a field behind Brownlow House.
The newly formed Club moved to the pitch in the centre of Lurgan Park, where they built a wooden pavilion and continued to play (except for a short break) until they joined with Lurgan Rugby Football Club and moved to Pollock Park in 1975.
During the 1939-45 War so many of the members joined the Services, that the Club was unable to function properly and so closed down for what was reckoned to be an indefinite period.
After The War
At the end of the War in 1945, Waringstown Cricket Club had an important match coming up, and found that they had no game the previous week. Feeling in need of practice they asked a few of us to make up the numbers and complete a team to give them a match. Everyone enjoyed the day and as we returned home on our bicycles that evening someone suggested that we should call a meeting and try to reform the Club.
There was general agreement and at that meeting it was decided to apply to the Town Council for the use of the ground and to rejoin the Northern Cricket Union.
Starting Over
We had of course to start at the bottom again, so far as leagues were concerned, but with some members returning from the Services and great loyalty from many others we soon improved our status, quickly rising to the Senior Qualifying League. Although we won this league several times there was no promotion or relegation at that level until 1952 when we returned to the Senior League.
Having amalgamated with Lurgan Rugby Club, the club moved to Pollock Park in 1980.
Since that move, the club have won the both the NCU Challenge and All-Ireland cups on a number of occasions while sharing the league title with North of Ireland CC in 1990.
The 2nds and 3rd XI’s have also had success winning the Junior, Intermediate and Minor Cups as well as winning their various league competitons over the years.
A number of our players have also represented Ireland at senior level.
It has always been our aim to play the game in the true spirit of sportsmanship and we hope that this will continue to be one of the chief aims so long as the Club is in existence.