First up in today's column is confirmation from Niall McDonnell at the weekend that he has joined Coleraine ahead of the 2013 season rubber stamping the Bannsiders' statement last month that they had signed the opening batsman. The Ireland A player is understood to have received a host of offers from clubs not just in the North West but Leinster and the NCU as well, however he suggested that the decision to head to the north coast was an easy one in the end.

The 33-year old is keen to continue his coaching at Strabane Academy where he is employed as a teacher and he was delighted that the Bannsiders fully appreciated his commitments. "It was very flattering to have been approached by a substantial number of clubs but I was taken with Coleraine's plans going forward" he began. "There are several very exciting young prospects coming through at Sandel Lodge and during discussions with Gavin Craig and Gareth Godfrey they made it clear that they wanted those youngsters to develop alongside the more senior players. The club was very persistent in their approach and I appreciated that and I'm looking forward to getting back to playing regularly again".

While the cause of the dispute between McDonnell and Strabane in the early part of the summer remains private the player agreed that he had missed the week to week involvement of club cricket during his exile. While he was happy to focus on his new career at Coleraine for now he suggested that his competitive nature sees to it that he also remains ambitious.

"Of course I felt it; I've been playing regularly for the past 20 years so it wasn't easy to sit out most of the summer. I just want to concentrate on my batting again now and I'm really looking ahead to next season. Having been selected for the Ireland A squad in the past has whetted my appetite and I believe that it is an honour to be selected to represent any side, be it your school, your club, your region or your country. As it is though I can only control the things that are in my own hands but I plan to do my absolute best for Coleraine in 2013 and if that is good enough to bring me to the attention of selectors then that would be very special for me".

McDonnell will line up alongside David and Gordon Cooke, Chinthaka Jayasinghe and Craig Averill as well as Scott Campbell and the rest of the teenage talent at the club in what has the makings of a fairly strong Coleraine side.

The initial draft of Cricket Ireland's Inter-Provincial 2013 document has been sent to the Leinster, NCU and North West Unions for consideration in the past fortnight giving the various boards a first chance to assess the impact of the new-look competition. While there will no doubt be several talking points within the paper it is believed that there are few smoking guns and the set-up and format will be pretty much as expected. The three Unions are set to clash in a T20, 50 over and 3-day competition, all on a home and away basis, although the dates are as yet unconfirmed officially. There are expected to be several paid posts within each Union as part of the TAPP funding requirements, at least one of which will be administrative and a substantial budget to pay players participating in matches as well.

Cricket Ireland will set out a financial package across the Unions and while each can expect to manage their own, the parent body will more than likely have a collective input as well. The facility to pay the players is obviously one of the most telling factors and while it certainly won't all be about the money, it will at least mean being able to properly compensate those who have other commitments. It is also widely believed that each Union will be permitted to consider up to two non-Irish qualified players from within their own patch while the remainder of the squads are likely to be made up from potential representative pools. The document is expected to be made widely available in the New Year in what looks sure to be a massive step for Irish domestic cricket.

Closer to home the North West senior cup final will return to Eglinton in 2013 after the village club defeated Coleraine in a vote to host next season's showpiece. Eglinton have a wealth of experience in doing the decider proud however they will need all of it next July after Bready raised the bar earlier this summer. One of the complexities in deciding next year's venue was that there was an understanding that the North West statute has been changed to dictate that the final will be played alternatively between Derry and Tyrone. While there was most definitely a gentleman's agreement proposed at the 2009 AGM that that the final would be rotated, it remains only that at the minute. Things have changed a lot in the North West since 2009 and a new regime is now firmly in place so that may well be food for thought for the Operations boys.

Finally can I just extend season's greetings to the cricket community and wish the very best to you and yours at this special time of year. There have been many highlights in the year now drawing to a close but one thing stands out like a beacon from 2012. I have seen at close quarters the work that has been put in over the past 12 months by our Think Tank and by the Operations, Development, Finance and Board of Control committees that have evolved from it. These people have worked tirelessly and selflessly to ensure that North West cricket is competing on a par on and off the field next year and they are owed a huge debt of gratitude. Hopefully you will see their efforts reap their rewards in the years to come but in the meantime here's to a very Happy Christmas and a thrilling, City of Culture 2013.