Ireland’s ‘Mo Bros’ enjoying the experience

November 21st 2013 by Cricket Ireland |

The four 'Mo Bro's' are going superbly in the middle east

Four of Ireland’s cricketers have been taking part in Movember since the beginning of the month so we’ve caught up with Tim Murtagh, Max Sorensen, John Mooney and Alex Cusack to find out how they’ve been faring.

Before the Ireland team headed off to the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier UAE 2013, fast bowler Tim Murtagh decided he was going to take part in Movember. “It was a group thing that was decided before we came away. I was going to do it and asked if anyone else was keen.” Three of his teammates were game and Ireland supporters have been able to follow the progress of the four moustaches on Twitter.

Being on tour can get a bit monotonous, so has Movember helped as a welcome distraction? “It’s been good for a laugh and a bit of a distraction,” admitted Mooney. “It’s always slightly unnerving walking past a mirror and seeing how ridiculous we look,” adds Murtagh.

The four cricketers are cultivating very different upper lip warmers, so who’s is best? They can’t agree on a winner, but there is a very clear loser as it’s unanimously decided that Mooners’ tash is the least impressive. “Guilty,” he admits, though Cusack lends some support insisting that John’s moustache is taking shape while Murtagh makes an excuse for him saying, “It’s tough on Johnboy up against three dark haired lads”.

With Murts’ tash looking unnervingly like Tom Selleck’s circa 1995, we asked what moustached star they have been likened to, if any. Alex Cusack mentioned a famous Australian criminal, Chopper Read, while Mooney’s celebrity lookalike is Ed Rooney - good call. When it comes to Max, though, we’re still on the lookout for a lookalike.

While Tim says it has made him a better cricketer: “I’m starting to sledge like Merv Hughes now” he claims, Johnboy is just hoping he’ll have a moustache you can see soon. “I’d love to have one by the end of the month,” he says with a wistful smile.

We asked if they had any fun moustache facts to pass on to others who are thinking about growing a lip warmer. They only came back with one, “You cannot eat a curry without some naan bread sticking in your tash,” said John.

Only four of the team have joined in Movember, would any of those who didn’t take part fare worse than Johnboy? “Kevi would struggle I reckon,” says Mooney. “Dockrell, Wilson and Andy McBrine all struggling,” fires Cusack and Murtagh agrees, “Definitely Dockers.”

None of the boys has been converted to a tash-wearer for life just yet, though. “I don’t think my wife would be too keen for me to keep it,” says Cusack, “no chance,” insists Mooney and “just for the extra day when I get home to scare the missus” says Murtagh with a cheeky grin. Max stays mischievously silent on the subject, so perhaps he might still be sporting his moustache when he returns to Irish shores.

If you would like to support the guys in raising valuable fund for Prostate Cancer Research please click http://www.justgiving.com/maxmoonersmurts to donate.

Keep up to date with the lads progress over on the Cricket Ireland Twitter page too.