SPORTSHUB PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW - ROUND 13 (JULY 24TH)

This week sees round 13 of the Sports Hub Premier League take place. There's a full round of fixtures in store to be enjoyed with only Phoenix not in action as they have the bye.

This week’s action sees two of the top 3 do battle in Balbriggan, where they play host to Pembroke, Clontarf make the trip to Kenure, where they face Rush, whilst The Hills also travel, to Rathmines where they take on Leinster in Observatory Lane, finally in Anglesea Road, Merrion will host Malahide as they look to keep up the pressure on league leaders Pembroke.

After 12 rounds of fixtures the league table is starting to take shape as we enter the early stages of the season’s run in. Pembroke currently sit top, after a comprehensive win over Clontarf last week, behind the Sydney Parade side are Merrion and Balbriggan in second and third places respectively, however both sides hold a game in hand on the league leaders. At the other end of the table The Hills currently sit bottom after losing out to a strong Merrion side last week. Rush and Clontarf are placed in 7^th and 8^th respectively and will be looking for wins this week to sneak themselves away from the danger zone.

BALBRIGGAN VS PEMBROKE

This is a huge clash at the top of the table and one that Merrion will no doubt be keeping a keen eye on during their own fixture, as the outcome will no doubt have a huge impact on who leads the table heading into August.

Pembroke come into this game off the back of a good win over Clontarf where they were missing most of their international firepower, they will be hoping for much of the same this week. Their batting this week will be led by Sarah Forbes in the absence of her international colleagues. She will likely be joined in the top 3 by Isobel Jennings who is also off the back of a strong showing against Clontarf and Shauna Kavanagh who will also take the gloves. From there Pembroke can call on Claire Shillington, Mhairi Nicoll and Zoe Bell to round out a strong top 6.

In the absence of Prendergast, Hannah Little will lead the seamers, sharing the new ball with KimLi McDonald, whilst there will be medium-pace support in the form of Vanshika Shukla, Anna Beale and Mhairi Nicoll. Zoe Bell will be the sole spinner in a strong Pembroke bowling unit despite the quality of those missing.

Balbriggan come into this game following and excellent win away to Leinster, the star of the show that day was Lara Maritz, she will lead her side again with bat and ball. With the bat she will be joined by Ella Marsh and Emma Kelly in the top 3. Those 3 will have support through the middle order in Tess Maritz and Erin Knight.

Maritz, as mentioned, will be key in leading the bowling unit, and is likely to share the new ball with spinner Ella Marsh. In support of these two Balbriggan have plenty of options to call on such as their trio of teenage seamers in Erin Knight, Anna Vezhakattu and Robyn Claxon, as well as leg-spinner Marisa Curtis who have all stepped up when required this season.

Lara Maritz is undoubtedly the key for her side, Isobel Jennings is the player in form for her side, Maritz will look to remove her early and ensure her side are on top in what is huge game in the context of the league.

Key battle – Lara Maritz vs Isobel Jennings

RUSH VS CLONTARF

This is a battle at the bottom of the table as both these side’s look to claw themselves away from the drop zone. Rush will be raring to go after a week long bye that saw them drop down the table, Clontarf will be no less keen to get going as the look to ensure they remain in Senior cricket for 2026.

Captain Freya Sargent is a vital part of Clontarf’s batting lineup and will no doubt have a big job to do in the absence of Coulter-Reilly. She is likely to be accompanied in the top three by Alice Walsh who is presently leading the batting charts for her side with 221 runs at 27, and Julie McNally. The rest of the top six is expected to feature some combination of Susan Lawless, Gemma Sargent, Genevieve Morrissey and Laura Cullen, as they seek to find a method that will see their side fire, and potentially set an imposing total.

On the bowling front, left-arm seamer Sinead Thomson leads her department, backed by McNally and Walsh. Clontarf also boasts additional pace from Ava O’Reilly and Annabel Walsh, creating a versatile and reliable bowling attack capable of challenging Rush’s batters. They are also buoyed by the return of their international spinner Freya Sargent who took no time to settle last week and her side will be hoping for much of the same this week.

Ocean Bartlett is Rush’s key, she has been in fine from this season amassing 301 runs at an average a shade over 50. She will have support mainly in the form of Aoife Beggs who is averaging 20 and Ellie McGee. From there Rush can also call on Lucy Neely, Rachel Bolton and Georgia Wilson to help shepherd them to a good total.

Aisling McCormack will lead the seamers with support from Aoife Beggs and Aadita Subramanya Ramnathpur. The real point of difference for the Rush side is the brace of leg spinners they can call on in Ocean Bartlett who currently leads her side’s wicket taking charts and Ellie McGee.

Rush’s big game player is Ocean Bartlett, they will look to her to get their side off to a strong start with the bat. Freya Sargent will look to continue her form from last week and remove her early.

Key Battle – Ocean Bartlett vs Freya Sargent

LEINSTER VS THE HILLS

The Rathmines outfit are one of the sides most hurt by the absence of international depth this week, they will be missing Canning, Delany and McMahon but still boast considerable depth regardless of this.

Joanna Loughran and Rebecca Rolfe will once again open the batting for their side, they will be missing the guts of their engine room this week, leading to increased emphasis on Karina Bell, both Tash and Eimear Richardson along with Jenny Sparrow. Tash Richardson in particular is in good form after a well-made 50 last week.

Karina Bell will lead the seamer as she has done all season with support from the medium pace trio of Jenny Sparrow, Orla Bagnall and Katie Dillon. The Rathmines side are likely to look towards the likes of Isabella Merriman to round out their bowling attack this time around.

Tahlia Dunne will once again anchor the batting line-up having been deemed fit to play after some ongoing injury issues, she will be supported by only 1 of their Maguire sisters, as with Jane will be away on International duty, Aimee will likely partner Dunne at the top. Abbi Harrison and Rebecca Gough add some good power-hitting to the middle order. Together, they form a unit that the girls from Skerries know can challenge any opposition when firing on all cylinders. Lara McBride is another important cog in the batting unit that her side will be missing this week as she receives her maiden international call up.

In the bowling department, Rebecca Gough will lead the attack in the absence of both Jane Maguire, on international duty, and Erin Carroll who’s season is over due to injury, with seam support from Gough, Vanessa Scollard, they will look to these 3 to really step up in the absence of their most experienced campaigners. Dunne brings variety with her spin, while Caoimhe Emmet and Sarah Everard will round out the options in the attack. The Hills will also feel the absence of McBride in this department too, as she generally provides 4 solid overs.

Tahlia Dunne is the main batter in this Hills side, and she will need to win the early throws against Karina Bell if her side are to get on top of the Rathmines outfit.

Key Battle – Tahlia Dunne vs Karina Bell

MERRION VS MALAHIDE

Lastly we have the action coming from Dublin 4 this week, as Merrion look to keep up the pressure on Pembroke, whilst their opponents, Malahide, will look to build on their win from last week and continue to push themselves into the middle of the table.

Merrion’s batting will be led by Bella Armstrong in the absence of their big names in Leah Paul and Rebecca Stokell who are away on International duty. There will be increased emphasis on the output of Annabel Squires and Isobel Joyce in the absence of that duo and they will hope for support from Boucher, Light and Brennan in a batting unit that most would be envious of, despite their absentees.

Sibha Bhoja will likely share the new ball with Bella Armstrong for the Anglesea Road side while in the absence of Paul, leg-spinner Aisling Lawlor will be one of the key change-bowlers in the side, with support in the middle overs coming from seamer Aoife Hayden and off-spinner Ashwi Manoj. Aoife Brennan is the other option the Ballsbridge outfit are likely to turn to having shown some good form earlier in the season.

Malahide will be without 2 of their top 3 this week in Amy Hunter and Arlene Kelly. Meg Thompson will lead the batting unit and will have support from skipper Anna Kerrison, Sarah Condron and Sarah Brophy. Sorcha O'Carolan Murphy and Emma McMurray are further options for The Village as they look to set an unassailable total despite the loss of two strong top-order players.

Their seamers will be led by Sarah Condron in the absence of Arlene Kelly. She will have support from Sarah Brophy and Saibh Mitchell along with Maria O’Halloran. The spin will be delivered by Anna Kerrison, who has already collected 13 wickets this season, and Meg Thompson who has proven more than handy thus far, with the 8 overs that duo can produce likely to be vital.

Meg Thompson has her team’s batting hopes pinned on her this week, in the absence of their internationals, Merrion will know that if Bhoja can remove her early they will be well on their way to being in a great position for securing victory.

Key Battle – Meg Thompson vs Síbha Bhoja