With the postponement of The Hills v Waringstown until Friday, July 23rd, there were two quarter finals of the Bob Kerr Irish Senior Cup involving LCU clubs. Railway Union travelled to Coleraine without internationals Trent Johnston and Kevin O'Brien, batted first and were reduced to 9-2 by Stephen Dunn.
Opener Tom Fisher (66) was then joined by skipper Conor Mullen (82), and the pair put on 150 to lead Railway to a 50 over total of 239 all out. Dunn finished with 4/49, and Mohammed Salman 3/29. Rain reduced the Coleraine innings to 41 overs with a D/L target of 231. Despite 69 from Tim Chopra and 41 from Salman, the Bann-siders struggled to stay up with the required rate, and were bowled out for 193, twenty runs short, in the 40th over, Kenny Carroll taking 3/39.
At Inch, Merrion were the visitors. Asked to bat first, the North County bowlers had them at 45-3, but Dom Joyce (65) and Johnny Anderson (60) added 119 for the fourth wicket. They were dismissed within three runs of each other, whereupon Kade Beasley's 51 helped the tail add a further hundred runs to arrive at 274-9. Pick of the bowlers was Eddie Richardson with 4/31, backed by 3/41 from Jimmy Boyland.
A century opening partnership between Conor Armstrong and Mossie Shiel (53) was built upon by another eighty with Brian Shields (33). Armstrong struggled to 69 as the asking rate rose above a run a ball in the face of tight bowling by Tiktish Patel (2/25). Eighty were needed off the last ten overs, 27 off the last four, but Richard Keaveney and Dom Joyce bravely bowled full and straight to leave County requiring a six off the last ball. They didn't get it and finished five runs short at 269-7.
In Division 1 of the league, the two promoted sides met in the Village. Malahide's Reece McDonald (3/18) and Pete Saville (3/31) had YMCA in trouble at 32-4. Rob Nandi (24) and Sean McAuley (35) led a recovery, assisted by Paul Beacroft's 21 and Shammy Ahmed's 19, to 154 all out in 45.4 overs. Jimmy Govan's off-breaks accounted for the middle order with 4/24.
Malahide should have chased that, but Beacroft's early spell of 3/21 and inept batting by everyone except Nick Turner (38) and the ageless Govan (57*) meant they were all out for 141 in the 42nd over. With this result, YMCA made their survival a little less uncertain and the demise of Malahide a little more likely.
On Sunday, North County had an immediate opportunity to put themselves back in the silverware business with the visit of out of form Clontarf to Inch. County had a hit, which turned quickly into a miss at 8-3. Ciaran Garry led the fightback, and fell five runs short of his century. Eddie Richardson (53) and Jonno Andrews (47) weighed in as County reached a very competitive 290-9. Joe Morrissey's 4/43 was a fine effort.
Clontarf lost both openers quickly, but Rod Hokin kept his team on course with Eoghan Delany (26) and Bill Coghlan (52). When he was out for 72 only Joe Morrissey (25) stayed long, and 'Tarf lost their last seven wickets for 58, Jimmy Boyland taking 3/21 and Terry Richardson 3/35, being all out for 228 in 44.1 overs and deep in the relegation doo-dah.
In Division 2 on Saturday, Pembroke took their four straight wins to Terenure and emerged with the same number of wins. They must have been hopeful of making it five from five when Terenure slumped from 90-1 to 121-8. Up the top of the order, Kenny McDonald scored 50 and Donal Vaughan 33. Down at the bottom, Tom Lynch (28) and Benn Hoey (12*) saw them to 166 in 47.4 overs after Andy Leonard (4/28) and Bill Whaley (3/25) had gone through the middle order.
That's no sort of score on the carpet, but the 'Nure are experts at defending low totals (remember the famous match against Belvo?). The 'Broke went from 44-1 to 90-9 as only Brian O'Rourke (30) could resist Shane Mott (3/35) and Nathan Carroll (3/21). Niall McDarby took the last two wickets as Pembroke were all out for 103 in the 27th over.
Terenure were already safe from relegation, but are now outside candidates for the other promotion slot, assuming Pembroke go up. The other outside candidates are Rush, who entertained relegation certainties Old Belvedere on Saturday. Rush won the toss, batted, and reached 144-1 after the early loss of Michael Donnelly. When Eoghan Conway was out for 61, Saadat Gull (34*) joined skipper Lionel Jansen to see him to 123 with a partnership of 91. The Russians finished on 237-4.
That's not a huge score in Kenure, and Belvo must have hopeful of breaking their league duck when they were 122-2. But Ahmed Dar was then out for 62, and only Simmi Singh (57) stayed long thereafter. Singh was run out, and Tipu Gull (2/21), Eoghan Conway (2/22) and Mick Donnelly (2/38) bagged the Belvo bunnies as they were all out for 214 in 49.4 overs.
The main candidate to join Pembroke in Division 1 next year is Phoenix, their only league defeat coming at Milverton. The Hills 2 had a day out in the Park with a much weakened side - the only Dwyer on parade was Mick, who retired years ago - to give Phoenix a good chance of avenging that defeat. After Andrew Moore was sconed by Morne Bauer and retired to find a helmet, Brendan Moore (26) and Rob Byrne took the Wilberries to 65.
With Mal Byrne (27) they got to 102-1, but then the wheels fell off, and when Rob Byrne was out for 53 the score was 156-8. Scoring an unbeaten 19 apiece, William Archer and Mick Dwyer took The Hills 2 to 196-8. For Phoenix, David Langford Smith took 3/37, Masud Ahmed 2/29 and Khan, recently discovered languishing on the thirds, 2/20.
Rory Flanagan (50) and Ben Larkin (43) stayed in the runs with an opening partnership of 75. The win was sealed in the 41st over by Graham Flanagan's unbeaten 45, a rapid 28 from Bauer and a quickfire 16* from Langford Smith.
On Saturday 10th are the semi finals of the Lewis Hohn Williams Senior Cup. All the contenders wanted a home draw against Malahide. Cup holders Clontarf got second prize with an away draw in the Village. They recently lost a midweek league match there when both sides were way below strength. Can they lose again? No, they'll be in College Park on July 24th to defend their cup.
But will they be playing last season's other finalists, North County, or the big beasts of Railway Union? I shall be in Park Avenue to find out (baldstu on Twitter). County recently won a league match there, but I don't think Railway will capitulate so easily this time. I don't think they'll capitulate at all, and will join 'Tarf in College Park.
In the league, the Wheeltappers and Shunters are in Division 1 business on Sunday when they travel to Milverton to take on The Hills. The league title will go to either of these two sides or to North County. I fancy The Hills to take advantage of a Railway side that has been celebrating their cup win the night before.
There are three fixtures in Division 2 on Saturday and one on Sunday. League leaders Phoenix should consolidate their position with a home win over doomed Old Belvedere. Second-placed Pembroke have a much tougher task with a home match against Cork County, but I expect them to win.
Terenure will want to press their claim to an outside chance of promotion with a home win over The Hills 2. If the Wilberries are at full strength, they could well put a spanner in the Dublin 6W works, but if Mark Dwyer and father Matt are unavailable, Terenure should win.
On Sunday the other promotion outsiders, Rush, entertain Cork County. Rush should use home advantage to win this, especially as County's bowling after Banksie and Brucie have done their tens is a bit iffy. You can follow this home win on Twitter as recorded by baldstu.
Cheers,
Stu.
