GARTH LEADS THE WAY AS PEMBROKE COMPLETE THREE-IN-A-ROW!

An excellent century from JJ Garth was the foundation upon which Pembroke built a match-winning performance this afternoon, as they claimed the LHW Financial Planning Leinster Senior Cup for the third year in succession, securing a domestic double already with another three trophies still on the line for the side in the coming weeks.

The toss proved crucial, Jack Tector winning and deciding that the hosts would bat first, in spite of the early loss of Tim Tector, Pembroke dominated the PowerPlay, moving to 54/1 after 10 overs, as Garth dealt with Leinster's returning opening bowler Thomas O'Connor almost disdainfully in his first five overs.

Garth moved to 50 from 65 deliveries, hitting 11 boundaries in the process, as he and Andy Balbirnie had added 93 for the second wicket before the latter fell for 26, bowled by an excellent Gareth Delany delivery which clipped the top of off-stump with just enough power to dislodge a bail. This saw Harry Tector join Garth at the crease, and the pair immediately upped the tempo as Tector got into his stride straight away.

Leinster bowled very few dot balls in that phase of the game and as a result Garth moved from 50 to 90 having struck just four boundaries in that time. He was equally efficient through the 90s, finding three singles either side of a pulled four to go to his century in 129 balls, leading to a rapturous applause from the home crowd.

When he was eventually dismissed for 113, Tector pressed the accelerator in a big way, firstly adding 31 with Lorcan Tucker in quick time before he was dismissed for 19, and then adding 82 in just 8 overs alongside Addison Sherriff, before eventually being caught on the boundary at deep cover for a brilliant 94 from just 71 deliveries.

Sherriff finished unbeaten on 38 from just 26 balls in guiding Pembroke to 335/6 in their 50 overs, as only Thomas O'Connor (2/66) and Bilal Azhar (2/54) could find any success for the away side.

A tremendous opening spell from Sherriff and Olly Riley saw them claiming two wickets apiece in reducing Leinster to 28/4 at the end of the PowerPlay. This brought Younas Ahmadzai and Thomas O'Connor together, and with them it looked like Leinster's last chance of a big partnership.

Dan Murray induced a false shot from Ahmadzai, as he hammered a pull straight to Paul Lawson at mid-wicket, where he held his third catch of the innings, before Murray struck twice more with the score on just 52 to leave Leinster in all sorts of trouble.

Saqib Bahadur and Mark Tonge added 48 for the 8th wicket, knocking the ball around well as Prendergast and Murray could provide no further penetration in their spells. Skipper Tector threw the ball to Paul Lawson at that stage, however at drinks Leinster remained 7 down.

It didn't take Lawson long however to find the breakthrough, having Tonge caught by Jack Tector, before nicking Bilal Azhar off to wicket-keeper Lorcan Tucker for one, and finally having Bahadur caught again by Tector to finish the game as the pick of the bowlers for the home side, having claimed 3/14.

The post match presentation was led by CL President 2026, Brian Kelleher, who was joined by Alan Lewis from LHW Financial Planning to adjudicate on the Player of the Match award. This went to JJ Garth for his spectacular century in the first innings of the game.

Congratulations to Pembroke on claiming the LHW Financial Planning Leinster Senior Cup for the third year on the trot, a fantastic achievement for all players, coaches, officials and supporters of the team.