A stumble by YMCA, Terenure overtake Trinity and move into the second promotion spot from D2 and Phoenix are the first team to be relegated from D1. Only the first of these can be counted a surprise. The other big news of the weekend – Pat Collins didn’t score a 100.
A weakened YMCA, neither Trent Johnston or Reinhart Strydom were playing, were comprehensively beaten by Leinster who thus played their first ‘get out of jail card’ of the season. They will need three more. Batting first Leinster took advantage of some generous fielding by YMCA to reach 260/6 [Ward 96]. YMCA never really challenged and ended up 124 runs short – with four Leinster bowlers sharing the wickets.
YMCA now drop into second spot and may now need to beat both Merrion and The Hills [both of whom won over the weekend and join YMCA on eight wins] who they play in their next two matches to take the Championship. YMCA of course also have a cup final to negotiate next weekend against a much improved Pembroke side.
Leinster have to tread an even more perilous path if they are to secure survival. Trailing Railway by 50 points [and Pembroke by a further two] Leinster need three out of three if they are to have any chance of survival. First up will be the most difficult challenge – The Hills away next Saturday. If somehow they can survive this then already relegated Phoenix represents an opportunity to somehow get within 25 points of Railway who they play on the final weekend. All very unlikely I am afraid but clubs may remember back to last season when at the start of August only Leinster themselves were safe from relegation. At that point not too many were predicting that Clontarf would join Terenure in D2.
Division 2 has not been much of a great contest this year, being more a procession of wins by Clontarf, with Terenure following pretty comfortably in their coattails. With three rounds remaining there looks to be only one critical contest, that between Balbriggan and Merrion II, to determine the second relegation spot. Suggestions have been sought from clubs on what, if any, changes can be made to the regulations governing D2 to improve the structure of league competitions. It will be interesting to see what emerges.
RSA Division 1
Leinster v YMCA
Leinster 260-6 (A Ward 96,)
YMCA 136 all out
Leinster (25 points) beat YMCA (0) by 124 runs
Railway Union v Merrion
Railway Union 217 (P Conliffe 69, K Carroll 51, T Kane 4/42)
Merrion 218-6 in 45.2 overs (B Thompson 62,]
Merrion (22 points) beat Railway Union (3) by 4 wickets
North County v The Hills
The Hills 313-8 (M Baumgart 100, N Shoukat 57]
North County 209 all out ( J Mooney 97)
The Hills (25 points) beat North County (0) by 104 runs
Pembroke v Phoenix
Pembroke 265-5 (T Lawson 89, R Hopkins 73).
Phoenix 152 all out.
Pembroke (25 points) beat Phoenix (0) by 113 runs
RSA Division II
Terenure v Balbriggan
Terenure 303-8 (R Lawrence 78,)
Balbriggan 228-9 (B Archer 65]
Terenure (23 points) beat Balbriggan (2) by 75 runs
Rush v Leinster 2
Leinster 2 291-7 off 50 overs (A Godfrey 96, R MacMahon 83)
Rush 293-5 from 38.2 overs ( A Butterly 105*, S Iqbal 71, L Jansen 51)
Rush (23 points) beat Leinster 2 (2) by 5 wickets
Malahide v Clontarf
Clontarf (20 points) beat Malahide (5) by 1 wicket
No details submitted