Cricket: Quirindi turn focus to next season after falling just short of Connolly Cup fairytale

"A lot of people are very keen," skipper Aaron King said.

They were on the bus on the way back from Narrabri already talking about what they have to do next year to win.

He said they will have a bit of break but have spoken about "reconnecting again" in winter for some "little training runs here and there".

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It's a testament to how their efforts this season have reinvigorated representative cricket in the town, not just in making the semi-finals for the first time since 1989 but beating the likes of Tamworth, Gunnedah and Armidale.

"It's been a massive season, now we know that as a town we can stick it to the big boys," King said.

Looking to end a 41-year silverware drought, it ultimately wasn't to be with Narrabri too good in Sunday's final.

Things didn't start well with King losing his first toss for the competition, not that he minded too much at the time. He was in two minds whether to bat first, which is the accustomed way in a final - runs on the board and all that, or bowl with the wicket looking to have a bit of moisture in it.

Sent in, things turned ugly pretty quickly as they slumped to 3-3 after four overs. That then became 5-21, 7-36 and all out for 50.

"Both our bowlers and theirs bowled the right lengths on the wicket, they were just able to find outside edge of our bats," he said.

"We weren't able to absorb the pressure."

Despite the wickets tumbling King thought if they could just get a couple of partnerships and at least get to the 40^th over they could chance their arm a bit and maybe give the bowlers something to bowl at.

But they only lasted 36 - "a couple of peaches" from player of the grand final Nathan Trindall quickly putting those hopes to bed.

Needing early and quick wickets to have any chance, Nick Hird came out and bowled the best he has this season.

"He must have beaten the outside edge 10 times, balls passing the outside edge by less than an inch," King said.

"In the slips and keeping we were getting ready to swallow one but it didn't come our way."

It was frustrating and when King started to really feel like it wasn't going to be their day.

"The best thing was the boys never dropped their heads, made sure we were always positive," he said.

"There were still plenty of laughs on the field."

The local Quirindi competition is done and dusted but the season isn't over for a handful of the side.

King and Todd Burgess play second grade in Tamworth with Bective-East, while Hird, Jye Paterson and Lachie Barton, who was missing on Sunday in what was a big blow, are part of the Bulls first grade side.

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