Previews of the Irish Senior Cup / National Cup can be found on the Cricket Ireland Website. We will focus on the OC Leagues.
D1 Everything still open with the title most likely to go to either Clontarf or Merrion but with North County in the wings if both lead teams falter against third party opposition. Merrion play Clontarf on the last day of the season and that is now looking like a possible final. Two out of three from Cork, Railway and Malahide will be demoted.
Sun: Full round of matches with the big one being Clontarf v North County at Castle Avenue. Merrion have to try to make sure they don’t slip up [the day after the ISC final] against Railway U. A loss in the same fixture last year cost them the title. NC could haul themselves back into the race with a win over Clontarf – but it still requries a fortunate fall of results in other matches to win the league. For Cork County [in Dublin to play Pembroke] and Malahde [at home to YMCA] wins would be like gold dust but even bonus points could be important with very little separating the teams.
D2 Relegation and promotion issues all resolved [at least as far as the playing field goes] but The Hills and Phoenix have a head to head to decide the title - Phoenix need 24 points from the game to take the title. YMCA II and Trinity in the bottom two.
Sun: The Hills take on Phoenix in the league decider. Odds favour The Hills who have home advantage and only need 3 points – but Phoenix come into the match on the back of a good run of form while The Hills have faltered of late.
D3 Merrion IIs are currently leading the league but are taking a late season break and don’t complete their final two match until the 13th / 20th September. So they can wait out the other teams and see how the table falls. Clontarf IIs, North Kildare and Laois are all in with a reasonable shout for promotion but teams have been beating each other. Leinster IIs would need to win their last game and for a lot of other results to go their way to have a chance. At the bottom The Hills IIs are relegated with both Phoenix II and Pembroke II trying to avoid the second relegation place. Phoenix one point ahead but Pembroke have a game in hand.
Sat: Chance for wins for N Kildare agasint bottom placed The Hills II and for Laois against Pembroke II. This is N Kildare’s last match and they need 23 points just to come ahead of Merrion [who have the two matches remaining]. If Laois win they come within 20 points of Merrion who they play on 13th Sept. Clontarf have a nice run in with games [including a T20 on Monday] against the two bottom sides. But all will have to wait on Merrion who may only need to win one of their last two matches to take the title.
D4 Malahide II winners and North County promoted. YMCA III and Merrion III demoted. There are still seven matches to play but this league is done and dusted.