The SportsHub Senior Cup has reached the semi-final stage with two interesting ties in store, both games are due to take place on Tuesday July 1st at 6pm. The action is as follows: Merrion will travel to the northside to take on a strong Balbriggan outfit while Malahide will do the reverse and travel to Sydney Parade to take on Pembroke.
Neither Balbriggan or Malahide have ever won this competition and will no doubt be raring to go to ensure they book their place in the final which is slated for Sydney Parade on Friday the 11th of July at 6pm.
Merrion have best record in this competition since its inception in 1977 having won it on 8 occasions. Pembroke also have a great record in this competition and will looking to put a couple of years of heartbreak behind themselves having last won it in 2021.
PEMBROKE VS MALAHIDE
Pembroke will come into this fixture knowing little about their opponent having not had the chance to play them yet in the league due to an unfortunate rain off in June. They will none the less feel hugely confident they can get the job done this Tuesday, sitting atop the league table and having costed through the previous round of the senior cup. In that game they were able to get over the line against a strong Rush side thanks in the main to 64 from Lou Lou Little along with 5 wickets for her sister Hannah.
This week they are likely to line up as they have all season with a trio of internationals in their top 3 in Orla Prendergast, Sarah Forbes and Lou Lou Little. Prendergast is in scintillating form after a 50 and a 90 over the weekend and will no doubt be in the mood for similar as she spearheads her side’s batting unit. Should the struggle the D4 side have two more internationals to call on in skipper Shauna Kavanagh along with Clare Shilllington, they also possess impressive depth in the from of Zoe Bell, Izzy McLean and Isobel Jennings should they be require.
The seamers will again be led by Prendergast with no lack of support in her department in a brace of Little sisters, Mhairi Nicoll, Kimli McDonald, Anna Beale and Vanshika Shukla. Sarah Forbes will lead the spinners and she will have support from Zoe Bell. Pembroke’s attack is one with incredible depth and they will feel confident of using their assets in some combination to ensure a positive showing for their side.
Malahide have endured a tricky league season but come into this game after a confident performance against Clontarf away from home. On that day they were indebted to their bowlers who kept Clontarf to 117 having posted a modest 132 themselves.
They like their opponents have a internationals to call on in their top 3 in Amy Hunter, Arlene Kelly they will likely be joined in the top 3 by overseas Meg Thompson in a formidable trio. Through the middle order the village also boast impressive depth in the form skipper Anna Kerrison, Sarah Condron, Sarah Brophy and Saibh Mitchell.
With the ball Arlene Kelly will likely partner Sarah Condron with the new ball. From there the seam support will come in the form of Maria O’Halloran Sarah Brophy and Haley Moore while the spin hope of her side will be pinned on skipper Anna Kerrison who enjoying and outstanding season with the ball.
Orla Prendergast is in formidable form with the bat, Malahide will look to their swing bowler Sarah Condron to remove her with the new ball before she deals to much damage.
Key Battle – Orla Prendergast vs Sarah Condron
MERRION VS BALBRIGGAN
Merrion come into this game knowing that they are one good performance away from being in with a chance of their 3rd senior cup in four years, they will want to put right the ghosts of last year having not appeared in the final for the first time since 2019.
Their batting is led by the overseas power of Bella Armstrong, she will be joined at the top of the order by Annabel Squires who has enjoyed great success of her own this season. Through the middle order Merrion boast remarkable depth with 3 internationals, two current, one former, in the shape of Rebecca Stokell, Leah Paul and Isobel Joyce. They will no doubt be poised to take advantage of a good powerplay platform laid on by the openers.
As a bowling unit they are led by their skipper Niamh McNulty, she will likely be joined on new ball duties by Síbha Bhoja, those two will be supported in the seam Aoife Brennan. The spinners feature the pair of Leah Paul and Bella Armstong, with support coming from leg-spinner Aisling Lawlor in what is a spin attack any club would be envious of.
Balbriggan have gone from strength to strength this season, their first round win in this competition was the catalyst for a turnaround in fortunes for them in 2025. On that day it was the Lara Maritz show as she scored 48 after a tight spell to ensure her side ran out convincing victors. She is the regular leader of her side’s batting unit and support for her comes in the form of the skipper Tess Maritz and overseas player Ella Marsh, however with Madison Landsman now ineligible for the competition and Ciara Gibson missing out due to an injury sustained at the weekend, they are missing two mainstays of their top order. Balbriggan will hope what remains of their top 5 will fire as they have all season to ensure a competitive total for their side on home soil.
The bowlers are again led by Lara Maritz, whilst the absence of Landsman will likely give opportunities to Anna Vezhakattu and Robyn Claxton, their spin hopes will fall on the shoulders of overseas player Ella Marsh and young leggie Marisa Curtis, in an attack that will also have to do without Erin Knight who is out through injury.
Lara Maritz is undoubtedly her side’s star power, they will look to her to stunt Merrion’s progress early on and in particular remove their wrecker in chief Bella Armstong.
Key Battle – Lara Maritz vs Bella Armstrong