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Divisions 1 & 2: Review of the weekend 21st-22nd May; preview of the weekend 28th-29th May

Saturday was a mixture of sunshine and showers, the latter tending to be heavy.  Getting a game in was going to be a matter of luck and/or determination.  Phoenix and Railway was already off because of the visit of Barack Obama.  The games started in the other three Division 1 matches, and two managed to produce a result.

At Castle Avenue the teams decided they were going to play come what may, and Clontarf posted a fairly moderate 221/8 off their 50 overs, Rod Hokin and Andrew Poynter scoring fifties, Adrian D'Arcy and Eoghan Delany twenties, boosted by 32* from Chris Cahill at the death.  Jonny Harte took 3/37 off his ten.

YMCA were favourites when they were 90-0 (Strydom 68) and 129-1 (Lewis 42), but then Poynter and Hokin took out the middle order, leaving Albert van der Merwe unbeaten on 52 and YM 21 short on D/L.

Down at the 'Broke, the home team posted a similarly moderate 202/8 off 48 overs, Steven Moreton making 61 and Rohit Bahl 41.  That should have been easy-peasy for North County, but 104-2, a winning score on D/L, became 112-5 thanks to three quick wickets from Paul Lawson and Steven Moreton, and a losing score.

In Anglesea Road The Hills were well ahead on D/L when heavy rain terminated the match after 16 overs, and at Kenure Rush batted for only 45 overs.  Nothing at all happened in Malahide, where Cork County kept up their 0/0 run of results in Leinster cricket.

On Sunday there were two Division two matches in Fingal, Leinster visiting North County and Old Belvedere travelling to The Hills.  At Inch an opening partnership of 89 between Mark Jones (54) and Craig Mallon (67), followed up by a robust 47 from JP O'Dwyer took Leinster to 260-9, far too many for North County 2.  County couldn't handle Corey Edwards and Will Lennon, then suffered from Peter Byrne's gentle slow left-arm (4/28) as they fell short by over a hundred runs.

Up at Milverton, Malcolm Byrne took six of the first seven Old Belvedere wickets, whereupon Hilal Asad scored 51out of 93 all out (M Byrne 7/16).  Amir Raza led the reply with 28, but it was left to the old soldier, Mark Clinton, to see the Wilberries home by four wickets.

On Saturday it's the first round of the LHW Senior Cup, and there are some interesting ties.  I shall be at Sydney Parade where Pembroke entertain Merrion in probably the most open of the six ties.  I've no idea who'll win this, so I'll go for home advantage and the 'Broke to progress to round two.  The same applies to the match in Claremont Road, where YMCA host Leinster.  Both sides are very limited, particularly in bowling, so again it's a home win.

Considerably more clear cut are the matches in Park Avenue and in Dublin 6W.  Railway Union are still a very good team without Trent Johnston and Kevin O'Brien, far too good for Phoenix.  I appreciate that Jeremy Bray has to come good sooner or later, but the Wheeltappers and Shunters can cope – home win.

The only person who can stop North County winning at Terenure is Andre Botha.  Yes, County are without the in-form John Mooney, but Boatsy would have to make a ton and take a Michelle to give the 'Nure even an outside chance – away win.

North County 2 will have to lose at least one regular in addition to a couple of starred players who in a league match would be available if there were no first team match.  That's too much of a handicap, and should clear the way for an easy win for Malahide, the visitors to Inch.

That leaves a very tasty tie at the Vineyard, Milverton, where Rush make the short trip up the road to play The Hills.  I can't see Rush bowling sixty respectable overs: ever since Shahid and Niall Mullen got the yips a couple of years ago the Kenure outfit have been over-reliant on Tipu Gull to exercise control.  I know Eoghan Conway, Dan van Man and Amir can bowl good spells, but the Wilberries will get twenty overs of pies which will take them out of sight.

On Sunday there is one Division 2 match, when Terenure will beat North County at Inch, but it will be County's seconds.  The other two matches are refixes in the Bob Kerr Irish Senior Cup, at Milverton and at Park Avenue.

I don't know what Limavady are like these days – I just can't keep up with the comings and goings in the NorthWest – I just know they're not as strong as they were, and I fancy The Hills to win.  You can find out if I'm right by following baldstu on Twitter.  I shall include the #lcu hashtag in my Tweets in case it helps anybody.

Up Cold Blow Lane, visitors Strabane will be without one of their main men, Niall McConnell, and I can't see them having enough to overcome the home side.  Last year's runners-up, Railway Union, should progress.  The forecast is for the unsettled weather to continue over the weekend, so D/L will doubtless come into effect and give sides unexpected opportunities to prove me wrong!