PEMBROKE BEAT LEINSTER BY 5 WKTS TO BECOME SENIOR MEN’S T20 CHAMPIONS FOR 2026 (11.7.2026)

Having closed out Phoenix by just 8 runs in the semi-final, Pembroke completed a disciplined performance in the Final to defeat Leinster by 5 wickets. It was a great team effort with both bat and ball especially the extent to which the bowlers subdued and then dismantled the Leinster batting in their second 10 overs.

It is the 10th occasion in which Pembroke have won this trophy which dates back to 1952.

Pembroke will now be the Cricket Leinster club representatives in the All-Ireland Semi-Final on Sunday 9th August.

A thank you from Cricket Leinster to the following people:

Þ To Rachel Hohn and Keith Young of LHK Insurance Group for their enduring sponsorship support of cricket in Leinster.

Þ To all at Pembroke CC for being excellent hosts as always – Philip & Bhavna Byrne, the Live Stream team and commentators (Niall Walsh, Craig Senior, James Cresswell and Amanda Dunlop) and GM By Choice (and their new arrival!)

SO HOW DID THE 2026 FINAL UNFOLD?

Leinster won the toss and elected to bat first at a sun-drenched Sydney Parade earlier this evening using the same combination (Mark Tonge, Thomas Johnson) which worked so effectively in the semi-final win over Malahide. On this occasion, the partnership was broken in only the second over when JJ Garth ran out the non-striker (Tonge) with a brilliant direct hit.

Monil Patel then joined Johnson and the two progressed steadily such that Leinster had reached 54/1 at the end of the first powerplay including 17 off Harry Tector’s first over. Gavin Hoey eventually broke the 70-run partnership assisted by an excellent boundary catch by Addison Sherriff, Johnson falling for a well-made 33.

This brought Gareth Delany to the wicket at number 4, joining Patel with Leinster 76/2 off the first 9 overs. Patel was particularly severe against Paul Lawson as he progressed rapidly to his 50 off just 23 balls. Patel fell shortly thereafter caught by Olly Riley off the bowling of Gavin Hoey, a vital wicket for the home side as they looked to stem the flow of runs (107/3 off 12 at this stage). Hoey completed his 4 overs (3/21) with the dismissal of Younas Ahmadzai who never really got going against some tight bowling with clever variations.

The experienced Joey Carroll then came and went for the addition of just 4 runs, clean bowled by Sherriff – Leinster 123/5 in the 16th over). Thomas O’Connor then became Sherriff’s second victim in the over as he departed without scoring. Byron McDonough returned to remove Delany, Bilal Azhar first ball and Rian Cassidy as the Leinster innings subsided from 98/2 in the 11th over to 145 all out in the final over. Pembroke had restricted Leinster to 47 runs off the second 10 overs.

McDonough finished with 3/13, Hoey with 3/21 and Sherriff chipped in with 2/36.

Set 146 to become the 2026 Champions, Pembroke lost Tim Tector in the first over, playing a ball onto his stumps off the bowling of Bilal Azhar. Harry Tector then came to the wicket and immediately got the scoreboard moving as he dominated the powerplay overs. In fact, JJ Garth didn’t manage to get off the mark until the end of the 4th over but then immediately perished to Joey Carroll’s first ball – Pembroke were now 47/2 after 4.1 overs.

When Tector became Carroll’s second wicket for well-made 41 off just 27 balls, Lorcan Tucker was joined by Addison Sherriff with Pembroke 63/3 off the first 7 overs. That was as good as it got for Leinster.

Gareth Delany came into the attack in the 11th over as Leinster anxiously sought a breakthrough but to no avail as Sherriff and Tucker combined very effectively to add 66 over various bowlers for the 4th wicket in just 7 overs to substantially close out the win for Pembroke. Sherriff was eventually dismissed by Azhar to give him his second wicket.

Jack Tector then joined Tucker with just 17 needed and made 10 of them off 7 balls before becoming Azhar’s third wicket before Gavin Hoey clubbed a final 4 off a no-ball to achieve a 5-wicket win with 26 balls to spare.

That capped off a fine afternoon for Hoey, who's 3/21 in the first innings was pivotal in earning him the Player of the Match award, kindly sponsored by Philip Byrne in Pembroke CC.

Pembroke are the 2026 LHK Senior Men’s T20 Champions – congratulations to all at Sydney Parade!