All eight Division 1 sides were in action last Saturday, and while any two from four can still be relegated, North County have won the league title. I've just worked out that they can't be overtaken even if they don't get another bonus point. That's thanks to their two run victory over Clontarf at Castle Avenue. No scorecard has yet been received for that match, so some fine performances don't appear in the latest averages.
North County got off to a good start with an opening partnership of 68, Mossie Shiel making 31. Conor Armstrong was then put out of his misery for 24 in as many overs, and drinks were taken at 82-3. Jimmy Boyland made a rapid 30 and then left Eddie Richardson to nurse the tail. Eddie was last man out in the 49th over for 48 out of 198.
Boyland then knocked over three of the top four, but Bill Coghlan held firm with 61. Mossie Shiel (2/21) and Jonno Andrews (2/27) reduced 'Tarf to 127-7, but the brothers Forrest took them to the brink of victory. Boyland returned to complete his Michelle (5/41), and Eddie Richardson bowled the last over with the home team needing six from the last pair. Richard Forrest took two singles to move him to 56*, but Hugo Whelan was then caught and bowled still two runs short.
That victory was the winning of the league because County's nearest pursuers, The Hills and Railway Union, both lost. At Claremont Road, The Hills continued their dismal late season form when they stumbled from 130-3 to 176 all out. Opener Darryl Calder made 30 and no. 3 Mike Baumgart 38, but only Ernie Extras, with 33, could match those scorers. For YMCA, James Parkinson took 4/29, Rob Nandi 2/38 and Jonny Harte 2/15.
At 111-1 (Jem Shortt 60, Carl Hosford 26), YM were home and hosed, but Nelson struck, Mark Dwyer helped himself to 4/28, and Division 2 beckoned at 147-7. Simon Wilson-Moore (22*) and Paul Beacroft (16) put on 25 runs, and YM snuck home by two wickets with four balls to spare.
Railway Union lost much more comfortably, to Merrion, in the reverse of last Thursday's match (described in an earlier posting on this site). On Thursday Tom Fisher picked up his first duck of the season; on Saturday Fisher scored 30 but Kenny Carroll got a second 50-over duck in 2010. Tim Townend made 23 and Paddy Conliffe 29, but nobody else made it to twenty as Railway were all out for 166 off 44.1 overs, the wickets being shared around six Merrion bowlers.
Damian Poder also made a duck, but that was the end of the good news for the Wheeltappers and Shunters. Greg Clarence made 69 before Ben Ackland (61*) and John Anderson (24*) finished it off in the 37th over for the loss of three wickets, with only Saad Ullah (2/9 off 7) impressing with the ball.
In Rathmines, Leinster kept their faint hopes of Division 1 survival alive with a win over fellow strugglers Malahide. Star man again was Carlos Brathwaite. After a rapid 41 out of 53 from Anton Scholtz, the Bajan put on 199 with Craig Mallon before being run out for 106. "Tig" Mallon fell eight short of his century as Leinster amassed 295-6 in their 50 overs.
Brathwaite then had Fintan McAllister caught behind, and conceded only 17 off nine overs. Reece McDonald made 58 up top and Shane Getkate 34 lower down, but the run-a-ball asking rate meant that the Leinster bowlers were able to pick off the Village batsmen, bowling them out for 211 in 42 overs.
There were three games in Division 2, two of them already described by me in an earlier posting. Pembroke beat Rush to make themselves favourites for promotion behind Phoenix, while on Sunday Old Belvedere gave themselves an outside chance of avoiding relegation when they beat Cork County.
The match I didn't see was the tightest, Cork County putting in an excellent performance to chase 239 in Terenure, getting to 240-5 off the 600th legitimate ball of the day. Terenure, inserted by County, got to their total thanks to 41 from Nathan Carroll, 39 from Doug Nicol, 37 from Donal Vaughan, 33 from Sammy Sundries, 28 from Colm Morgan and 23 from Saneer Salam.
For the Lee-siders, Bruce Koch took 3/49, Simon Ridley 2/26 and Andy Wooton 2/41. Des O'Leary went early doors, Ross Durity made 23 then ran himself out, but Ridley and Koch set up the win with a partnership of 124. Koch made 53, Ridley an unfortunate 99, and Andy Saul saw them home with 20*. Shane Mott took 1/22 off his ten and Michael Launders 0/32 off his, but all the other 'Nure bowlers had to take some "Fetch!"
The coming weekend will sort out some issues, all bar two of them if my predictions are right! Leinster must beat Clontarf at Rathmines and hope that other results go their way if they're not to be in Division 2 next year. Clontarf will win to ease their own relegation worries.
Malahide don't have to win at Merrion to survive, but it would make life a lot easier if they did. They won't. The same goes for YMCA at home to champions North County. That's an away win, setting up a do or die encounter for YM at Park Avenue on Sunday. I'm afraid they won't win that one either, and so take their UB40 back to Division 2.
If Rush beat Old Belvedere at Kenure, the Jesuits' former pupils will be in Division 3 next year. Bye, bye Belvo. Pembroke will then have to beat Cork County on the 11th to be promoted. Baldstu will be at Anglesea Road on Saturday and up Cold Blow Lane on Sunday. Follow him on Twitter.
Cheers,
Stu.
