Templepatrick’s Warke and Clarke off to South Africa

The talented duo are part of the NCU’s Youth Development tour to Cape Town.

Both Harry and Adam are named among the Under-15 squad, together with Carrickfergus CC’s Max Burton.

Thirty boys in two squads and 10 support staff will make the trip at the end of March. Between now and then, they will be meeting up for training sessions at the University of Ulster’s Jordanstown Sports Centre.

Alan Waite, NCU vice-chairman, said: “The touring party will be pitched at two levels; firstly we are looking at the Under-15 age group and then the Under-17 age group.

“The key thing is the level that the tour is pitched at; we want this to be competitive and the level of competition to step up as the tour progresses.

“We will also be staying in a complex called City Lodge, Grand West in Cape Town, which effectively has everything on-site and will serve to keep the whole party together.

“I believe that having it at the start of the season is the right timing.

“The players will be doing a lot of work as a squad sessions throughout the winter and this will give a real focus to that, plus they will be able to take the learning from the tour and apply it directly in the new season at home.”

U17 squad: Paddy Beverland (CSNI), Craig Irvine (North Down), Jack Burton (Carrickfergus), Stuart Nelson, James Hume (both Cregagh), Morgan Topping, James Mitchell, Sam Wilson, Marcus McClean (all Waringstown), John Matchett (CIYMS), Jonathan Hunter (Lurgan), Thomas Magowan (Downpatrick), Andrew Forbes (Instonians), Sam Gordon (Muckamore).

U15 squad: James McClean (Ballymena), Charlie Shannon (Holywood), Jack Carson, Jonathan Waite, James Humphreys (all Waringstown), Archie Johnston (CSNI), Max Burton (Carrickfergus), Ben Rose, James Hunter, Bradley McNamara, James Metcalf (all Instonians), Peter McCreery, Tom Millar (both CIYMS), Reece Malone (Derriaghy), Harry Warke, Adam Clarke (both Templepatrick).