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Review of Division 1 & 2, weekend 23rd - 24th July; preview of weekend 30th July - 1st August

There were three Division 1 and 2 matches over the weekend: the LHW Senior Cup Final on Saturday between North County and Merrion; and two Division 2 matches on Sunday, both in Fingal, featuring North County 2 against Old Belvedere, and The Hills 2 against Terenure.  The weather was glorious: the cricket, less so, but still interesting.

On Saturday, Merrion won the toss in Malahide and had a hit.  Dom Joyce batted really well, and Kade Beasley did his job, but the pair seemed to have lost the initiative when they allowed County to bowl 21 overs for 71 runs between drinks and lunch, allowing themselves only 23 overs to improve on 123-0.  Joyce (66) and Beasley (44) departed shortly after lunch, leaving Anderson and Kane to take the game to County.  This they did excellently, but they could only score 71 runs in the last ten overs to take their score to 273-7 off 60 overs, Kane making 66 and Anderson 46.

Mossie Sheil went without scoring, but Greg Hay and Conor Armstrong played their own games to take the score to 153-1.  When Armstrong was out for 57, tea was taken, and it seemed that all County had to do was bat properly to take 121 off the last 24 overs.  Hay (89), John Mooney (15) and Adam Coghlan then surrendered their wickets to a good spell from Tyrone Kane, but Josh Reeves and Eddie Richardson seemed to have put County back on track.  Reeves was out for 29 and the initiative was lost.  Eddie Richardson, on 34, was left needing 2 to win off the last ball, missed, and gave Merrion a victory by one run, their first Senior Cup since 1960.

North County fared better on Sunday, when their 2s were at home to Old Belvedere, piling up up 271-9 off their 50 overs.  The runs came from Greg Hay (90) and Cormac McLoughlin (74) in a century partnership.  I am at a loss to explain how Hay is allowed to play for the 2s.  As long as Simmi Singh was at the crease, Belvo were in the game.  He and Abou Baker got Belvo to 192-5, but then Singh was out for 82, Baker shortly after for 44, and Belvo were all out for 209.

The Hills 2 started very promisingly against Terenure, reaching 227-2, when Ajaz Farooqi was out for 105.  Thereafter, only Tomas Murphy, 39*, could add significantly to Amer Raza's 48 and Mal Byrne's 35 to take the Wilberries to 253-8, Justin Kleyweg taking 4/36.  When Terenure lost Hogan and Botha early doors, the game was in the balance, but Kenny McDonald (59) and Nathan Carroll put on 81 together before Kleyweg (52*) joined Carroll (95*) to win in 36 overs.

This coming weekend, there are three Division 1 matches on Saturday.  Clontarf are completely out of sorts, so they'll doubtless beat The Hills at Castle Avenue.  Merrion should hose YMCA, and Phoenix should lose at home to Pembroke.  On Monday. Phoenix will also lose  at home to Railway Union and make themselves clear relegation favourites.

In Division 2, Leinster travel to Cork, where they should beat County at the Mardyke.  I'll be there to find out how wrong I can be – follow @baldstu on Twitter.  Malahide should beat North County 2 at Inch, and Terenure should beat Old Belvedere on the magic carpet, tightening up the top of the table.