SPORTSHUB PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW – ROUND 3 (MAY 29TH)

After a brief one week hiatus for some senior cup action the SportsHub Premier League is back with a bang this week with a full round of fixtures in store to be enjoyed. The action is as follows; Rush host Pembroke at home in a reverse of their cup game from last Thursday, Phoenix welcome Leinster to The Park, whilst The Hills will host Balbriggan in an all Northside affair and lastly Clontarf will travel to Anglesea Road to take on Merrion in the only fixture slated for South of the Liffey.

Balbriggan, Merrion, and Pembroke will come into the week buoyed by the knowledge that they will be in the Senior Cup semi-final come July 1^st after a hugely competitive round of fixtures saw them advance to the next around along with Malahide who have a bye this week.

Rush vs Pembroke

At Kenure, Rush continue in search of their first win in senior cricket, the challenge is a tough one in current league holders Pembroke. These two went at it last week in the cup where Pembroke ran out comprehensive victors.

The visitors boast an embarrassment of riches as usual this week, with several international cap holders both past and present to call on if required. With the bat they will likely line up with a similar top 6 to last week including current Ireland players, Sarah Forbes & Lou Lou Little, skipper and former international Shauna Kavanagh, and their up-and-coming homegrown trio of opener Isobel Jennings, all-rounder Zoe Bell, and finally the hard-hitting Izzy McLean who will also take the gloves for the Sydney Parade outfit. The most notable absentee for Pembroke is Orla Prendergast who is a big miss due to what she brings with both bat and ball for her team. None the less Pembroke will be confident that their batting depth will be sufficient to post a competitive total in a smaller than average ground.

Their bowling unit will be led by Hannah Little who’s form coming into this game is an obvious boost for Pembroke, she picked up 5/13 last week against this opponent. She will be supported by Lou Lou Little and Louise McCarthy who have also had great starts to the season respectively.

Rush will be looking for an improved offering from last week and the key players to ensure this happens will be Ellie McGee and Ocean Bartlett. Both have opened the batting this season for the side from Kenure and will look to start strongly getting their team off to a flier in the powerplay. They are likely to be joined by a hard hitting trio consisting of the O’Donohoe sisters who will bat on either side of Wilde at 3 and 5.

With the ball, Rush will again look to McGee and Barlett who both bowl excellent leg spin. Aisling McCormack will support them, she will be high on confidence after an outstanding 2024 leading her to being the top bowler in Division 2. Elsewhere the O’Donohoe sisters will again feature and will have a big role to play in order to keep a powerhouse Pembroke batting outfit under control.

Hannah Little holds the key for Pembroke, if she can replicate her form from last week and remove Barlett early she will put her team on top. If Barlett can come out firing and nullify Little, it will go a long way to putting her team on top.

Key Battle – Hannah Little vs Ocean Barlett

Phoenix vs Leinster

These 2 sides will be looking to get back to winning ways after disappointing quarter final exits in the cup last week respectively. Leinster fell foul of a strong Merrion side while Phoenix ran out narrow losers to Balbriggan.

Leinster will feel confident of getting back to winning ways this week with a side boasting no less than 7 international cap holders. Their batting is led by Laura Delany and Rebecca Rolfe; the former playing a strong hand in a losing effort last week. They are more than ably supported by 3 more full internationals both past and present in Sophie MacMahon, Eimear Richardson and Joanna Loughran. The middle order fire power will be provided by Canning and Sparrow who will provide some impetus later in the innings if required.

Leinster also possess impressive depth in their bowling stocks. Their attack is led by the outright pace of Aussie Karina Bell who is nicely complimented by Canning’s swing. Through the middle overs Leinster can also call on the metronomic medium pace of MacMahon and Delany. The attack is then rounded out with Richardson’s right arm off spin.

Phoenix will hope last week was nothing but a hiccup in their 2025 season which sees them flying high with 2 wins from 2 in the league. With bat in hand Phoenix will rely heavily on Gaby Lewis and Zara Craig who have both contributed strongly in the games that Phoenix have won so far. The top 5 will likely be made up of Suin Woods, Arisha Foysal and Nevedha Saravanarajan. Phoenix will be rueing their look, while already missing key operator Georgina Dempsey with a knee injury they are also without Alice Tector who has also picked up a niggle. None the less the Phoenix Park side will feel confident they have enough batting stocks available to compete.

With ball in hand Craig is likely to feature again with the new ball alongside Ali Keenan, together they form a formidable opening partnership. Rhea Nair is likely to complete the seam attack in the middle overs and the 3 above will endeavour to keep things tight ensuring that their most dangerous operator in Arisha Foysal’s overs cannot merely be ‘sat on’.

Laura Delany has been the ‘in form’ player for Leinster this season, if Zara Craig can remove her early it will go a long way to putting her side on top.

Key Battle – Zara Craig vs Laura Delany

The Hills vs Balbrigann

These 2 teams are in search of their first win of the 2025 league season, Balbriggan of course will be much the happier of the 2 teams having secured safe passage through to the semifinal. The Hills ran out losers in the preliminary round to Phoenix and will want to set things right this week. However both teams are on even footing heading into this round of fixtures being 0 and 1, they will both be vying to get their league campaign back on track.

After a tough week 1 and then a bye Balbriggan got their season up and running with a sensational win over Phoenix in the cup last week. They were helped in no small part by the treble of overseas arrivals prior to that fixture in Ella Marsh, Madison Landsman and Ciara Gibson. They come in the form of much needed reinforcements for the Martiz twins who along with the 3 mentioned above will likely round out a strong top 5 for the Balrothery side.

As a bowling unit Balbriggan will look to Lara Maritz to lead the charge, seam support for her will come in the form of Erin Knight and Reena Devi. Landsman and Marsh will round a well balanced attack with both bowling right-arm off spin which will no doubt prove pivotal for her side.

The Hills have had a tough start to 2025, being knocked out of the Senior Cup at the first hurdle and coming off second best in their only league clash to date. They will no doubt view this week as a huge opportunity to get their season back on track.

The Hills have in their possession a side that will feel confident of putting it up to anyone on their day. Their batting is led by overseas Tahlia Dunne, she will be joined at the top of the order by Lara McBride who has only gone from strength to strength in the last couple of years. They are joined in the top 5 by the Maguire twins and Rebecca Gough. Should the Skerries side need to call on it, they also have to powerful hitting of Cliodhna O’Reardon at 6.

The Hills’ bowling unit is led by their Internationally capped skipper Jane Maguire, Rebecca Gough will support her with some right-arm mediums, whilst the 3^rd seamer in the attack is Tara O'Brien, whilst the bowlers will be rounded out in a spin heavy fashion through the right arm off spin of Tahlia Dunne and Lara McBride.

Tahlia Dunne holds the key to The Hills batting effort, if Lara Martiz can remove her early in the piece it will go a long way to putting her team on top in the contest.

Key Battle – Lara Maritz vs Tahlia Dunne

Merrion vs Clontarf

Merrion come into this fixture riding high, they are sitting pretty in the league having won their opener and have safely negotiated their passage into the Senior Cup semi-final. Clontarf on the other hand come into this fixture somewhat reeling off the back of a disappointing first round cup exit to Malahide and 2 losses from 2 in the league, they will be looking to get things back on track this week.

The challenge doesn’t get much greater than trying to overhaul Merrion at home. Merrion’s batting is led by their overseas player Bella Armstrong who has made a very strong start to the season, she forms a strong opening partnership with Annabel Squires. The top 5 is then rounded out by 3 international cap holders; 1 past and 2 present, in the form of Leah Paul, Rebecca Stokell and Isobel Joyce. Aoife Brennan’s big hitting can also be called upon at 6 if required. Merrion’s attack is made up of the seam trio of Sophie Stewart and Aoife Brennan and Isobel Joyce, they are supported by the spin of Armstrong and Paul.

Clontarf’s batting is spearheaded by their international star Christina Coulter Reilly, she is without a doubt the key wicket for Merrion, and Clontarf will hope she can go big in order to ensure they post a winning total. She will be hoping for the arrival of Robyn Searle along with support from Julie McNally and Alice Walsh, the injury of Genevieve Morrisey is a big blow for the Castle Avenue side as they are without her batting in pursuit of their first league win of 2025.

On the bowling front Clontarf have one of the strongest attacks in the league to call on, they have 3 strong seam options to call on in the form of left armer Sinead Thompson, and right arm pair Alyssa Pasley and Lucy Barry, they will be supported by Walsh and McNally to round out a strong attack.

Merrion will be hoping to see their frontline seamer Síbha Bhoja dismiss the key Clontarf wicket of Christina Coulter-Reilly cheaply, with the latter clearly hoping that she can turn around the start to the season and produce a big score for her side.

Key Battle – Síbha Bhoja vs Christina Coulter-Reilly

SPORTSHUB PREMIER LEAGUE

Match Day 3 - May 29th, All 18:00 Start

At Kenure, Rush vs Pembroke

At Phoenix Park, Phoenix vs Leinster

At The Vineyard, The Hills vs Balbriggan

At Anglesea Road, Merrion vs Clontarf