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Divisions 1 & 2: Review of weekend 30th April - 2nd May; preview of weekend 7th-8th May

There was some cracking cricket played in divisions 1 and 2 last weekend, and I got most of my predictions right, but let's start with one I got completely wrong, the game in Anglesea Road, where Clontarf were the visitors.

Merrion batted first, and found the Clontarf opening bowlers on fire.  Alex Cusack took 5/19 and Joe Morrissey 2/7 as Merrion were reduced to 17-7.  Change bowlers Bill Coghlan and Vijay Gopal couldn't disturb Rory Allwright and Simon Morrissey, and the pair took the score to 101.  Then Allwright was stumped off Rod Hokin three short of his fifty, and fifteen runs later Simon Morrissey fell to Hokin for 29.  Two balls were enough for Hokin to have O'Brien stumped and record figures of 3/28.

Cusie then blazed 36 of the first 46 runs (four fours, two sixes), Coghlan and Poynter went cheaply before Hokin (37*) and Adrian D'Arcy (27*) got home in the 21st over.  A prediction I got half wrong was at Claremont Road, where The Hills struggled to 120 thanks to 27 from Mike Baumgart and 42 from Patrick Byrne.  YM debutant Samir Dutt claimed a Guildford Four-for.

Super bowling from Joseph Clinton and Nazeer Shaukat, ably backed up by another Guildford, this time from Tomas Murphy, had YMCA 68-7 (Alan Lewis 24, Sean Walsh 25).  Lee Cole (19*) nearly saw his team home, but Luke Clinton took the last wicket in the 41st over with the home team three runs short.

The Park Avenue derby, played on the sunny side, was emphatically won by Railway Union.  Batting first, they racked up 345-7 in their 50 overs, no batsman missing out, with half centuries for Tom Fisher (74) and Trent Johnston (63), and forties for Conor Mullen and Kevin O'Brien.  Jono Hickey took 2/58 off his ten and Andy Leonard 2/80 off 10.

Pembroke struggled from the start, only Theo Lawson passing twenty, until a late tail wag led by brother Paul (41) got the 'Broke to 115 all out in the 29th over, Kevin O'Brien claiming 4/15 off his ten overs.  At Inch, North County should have got over 300 after a 146 third wicket partnership between John Mooney (81) and Conor Armstrong (58).  But only New Zealander Josh Reeves, with 37, stayed for long as County were all out for 241 in the 47th over, debutant leg spinner Saadaf Raza taking 3/56.

John Mooney and Shane Getkate nipped out Ted Williamson and Ryan Gallagher with just four runs on the board.  Next ball, Jeremy Bray skyed an attempted hook shot to Dara Armstrong for his 501st Senior wicketkeeping victim.  Conor Kelly made a rapid 44, Tom Anders a slow 20, and Phoenix subsided to 160 all out in the 34th over.

Those four matches were on Saturday, and a fifth took place on Monday with North County again at home, this time to Clontarf.  At one stage County were 85-1, but after Lawrence was second out for 49 only Shane Getkate (32) passed twenty.  On Saturday the last eight wickets added only 73; now the last nine added only 94.  Rod Hokin and Andrew Poynter took a brace of wickets apiece, but the leading wicket-taker was Ronnie Run-outs (3).

Either Bill Coghlan or Alex Cusack went early (the scorecard is unclear), but the other made 47, which with 22 from Hokin and 87* from Andrew Poynter saw 'Tarf home by six wickets in 27.1 overs.  With his catch off Adam Coughlan's bowling, Dara Armstrong went to 503 Senior victims, one ahead of the late Harry Hill and only five behind Colin Kavanagh.

In Division 2, Malahide gained their second win at the Village thanks to a 211 third wicket partnership between Jimmy Govan, run out for 98, and Conor Geraghty with a magnificent 112.  Thirty extras bumped the score up to 260-5.  New overseas player Corey Edwards took 3/35, and Peter Byrne bowled his ten overs for 34.

It seemed to be all over when Leinster were 50-4, but Edwards put it about for 63, Ernie Extras chipped in with 46, and the Rathmnes men fell 14 short when the last man was out with 15 balls still to be bowled.  Callum Riches took 3/40, Steven Smith 3/51 and Jimmy Govan 2/43.

Also on Saturday, Rush prevailed over Old Belvedere at Kenure, but there are precious few details available as I write on Thursday afternoon.  Simmi Singh guided Belvo to a total of 196, scoring 95 in the process.  Patrick Monks took 5/16 in six overs of leg breaks.  Rush didn't hang around, winning by 6 wickets inside 35 overs, Dan van Zyl top-scoring with 61.

On Sunday, The Hills 2 entertained local rivals North County 2, and after being inserted reached 232 all out in the 50th over, with contributions from Amer Raza (39), Joseph Clinton (51), Nadim Akhtar (42) and Vipal Gargya (34*).  Conor Shiel cleaned up the tail to finish with 5/28, while Jono Andrews's ten overs of offies yielded 2/32.

He then batted beautifully, offering just one (very easy) chance when in the forties, and reached 119 in 116 balls out of 180.  Terry Richardson's 26 got County to the verge of victory, and after a knee-trembler they got home by two wickets with ten balls to spare.  Joseph Clinton capped a fine match with 3/28 off his set of ten.

On Monday there were three preliminary ties in the Bob Kerr Irish Senior Cup.  I know what happened at Rathmines, because I was there.  After being 18-2, Craig Mallon (73) and Anton Scholtz (93) put on 166 for the third wicket, whereupon JP O'Dwyer breezed 53 to take Leinster to 316/8.  The ever reliable Ken Brennan took 4/53.

Will Lennon and Corey Edwards shot through the top order, reducing Terenure to 14-5.  Skipper Nathan Carroll made a rapid 27, and Tom Lynch a more sedate 29*, as the 'Nure were all out for 89 in 30 overs.  Lennon ended with 4/12.

I know very little about the other two ties.  In the 'Broke the home team amassed 260-8 against Old Belvedere, with half centuries for Jono Hickey (61), 'Poacher' O'Rourke (59) and Allan Eastwood (51).  Farwan took 3/55.  Belvo got to 195 all out thanks to 70 from Simmi Singh and 47 from Farwan.  Hickey took 3/45.

In the Village, Dan van Zyl (133*) and Patrick Sheridan (63*) had an unbeaten fifth wicket partnership to get their side to 285-4 in 50 overs.  While the Govan'or and Paul Tweddle were together, Malahide had a chance, but the keeper fell for 50 and Govan for 65 to leave their team 200 all out.  Eoghan Conway took 3/36.

So, what's on the menu this weekend?  There's a full set of fixtures in each division, and I shall be at Castle Avenue to see the league leaders on points take on the league leaders on percentages.  I go for a Railway Union victory, but I'll be quite happy to grovel yet again should Clontarf win!

North County have a third successive home match, this time against The Hills.  I know these matches are 50:50, but I fancy County's top 4 to score more than The Hills top 11.  The other two games match up last week's losers.  They could each be very tight, but I'm going for home wins: YMCA to beat Pembroke; and Merrion to beat Phoenix.

In Division 2 on Saturday, Leinster should be far too strong for Old Belvedere in Rathmines, and Rush too strong for North County 2, given that County's firsts are playing.  Down in the Mardyke, Terenure could beat Cork County if they have the services of Andre Botha, but won't if they don't.  On Sunday, Malahide should again be too strong for The Hills 2 at Milverton.  I'll be there (again) to watch it.