Game of the Day - Clontarf vs Pembroke

Pembroke beat Clontarf by 5 wickets in Castle Avenue with Fiachra Tucker taking 5 wickets and both Andrew Balbirnie and Lorcan Tucker hitting half-centuries. However, that barely tells the story of an intense and fiery match.

Fiachra Tucker’s 5-40 backboned the Pembroke bowling effort after Clontarf captain Joe Morrissey had won the toss, and opted to bat first.

The home side were rocked when Bill Coghlan nicked through to Lorcan Tucker behind the stumps in the first over.

Alex Ridley took the wicket and had a couple of good LBW appeals gone his way his 1-23 off 5 overs could have been even better.

Clontarf’s other opener Declan Gallagher was in good form however. He dominated a 43-run stand with Islam (16) before also seeing Obus Pienaar (8) depart.

The importance of this wicket shown in the Pembroke celebrations.

Andrew Balbirnie and JJ Garth bowled 20 overs in tandem from the 22nd, and squeezed the life out of the Clontarf innings. Just 59 runs were scored, and two wickets fell, including Balbirnie bowling Gallagher round his legs for 55.

Waqar Azmat had come in at number 5 for the home side and he displayed a fine array of shots to top-score for Clontarf.

It was the 45 ^th over though, before Tarf hit their first 6 when Azmat cleared the long-on fielder.

At 180/6 with five overs remaining there was potential for a final onslaught from the batting, but when Fiachra Tucker dismissed Azmat for 71 in the next over the home side faltered.

The tail didn’t wag for Clontarf either, as first Alex Ridley bowled Morrissey for 6 and then Fiachra Tucker returned to finish the innings and complete his 5-fer in the 48 ^th as Clontarf were bowled out for 191.

To defend under 200, Clontarf needed to take early and regular wickets. Captain Joe Morrissey led from the front bowling Fiachra Tucker in the first over.

In the 6 ^th over, Islam thought he had a second Pembroke wicket, but it was ruled a bump ball. This was the start of a strange period of play as emotions began to run high.

In the 9 ^th however, Morrissey had a second when Diarmuid Tucker nicked behind, leaving Pembroke 27/2 and wobbling just a little.

In the tenth and twelfth overs David Delany thought he had the vital wicket of Andrew Balbirnie. Both times Clontarf celebrated, both times Balbirnie remained unmoved, and both times the umpires had a discussion.

The upshot was that Pembroke remained two down, but the Clontarf fielders were up in arms and some choice words were said by several players.

What had already been an intense match now had a fiery edge as frustrations were vented.

Unperturbed, Balbirnie and Lorcan Tucker put on 61 for the third wicket before Sameer Dutt bowled the former for 58.

Lorcan Tucker was in assured form and stroking the ball to all parts. He lost Theo Lawson LBW in the 30 ^th over but carried on playing his shots. Tucker hit seven boundaries in his 69 before he fell to Delany leaving Pembroke 176/5.

An exciting 26 not out from Sunil Gupta and a muscled boundary from Ben Hoey (9*) saw Pembroke over the line and to a 5-wicket victory with more than 8 overs to spare.

A comfortable victory for Pembroke away to second placed Clontarf but so much more behind the figures.

Mason Alexander LHW Financial Planning Premier League

At Castle Avenue;

Clontarf 191 a/o 48.3 overs (W Azmat 71, D Gallagher 55; F Tucker 5-40)

Pembroke 194/5 41.4 overs (L Tucker 69, A Balbirnie 58; J Morrissey 2-13)

Pembroke win by 5 wickets