Terenure's win meant Cork County needed a positive result at North County, but they weren't in contention as they slumped to an emphatic 179-run loss. Jamie Grassi powered his way to a 39-ball 63 (6 fours, 5 sixes) in an opening stand of 81 in the first ten overs, and from then on it was one-way traffic. Niall McGovern (78) and Jonathan Andrews (64) also scored half centuries, and with runs too for Luke Whelan (30) and skipper Eddie Richardson (29) a total of 292 was always going to be too many. Eshan O'Sullivan's 25 was the best for Cork in the chase as they were bowled out for 113 - two wickets for Abdul Ghaffar and Andrews.

Gareth Delany and Saqib Bahadhur were to the fore as Leinster won the Championship with a 61-run win over bottom side Cork Harlequins at Rathmines. Irish all-rounder Delany showed remarkable patience in compiling what would prove to be a match winning half century as the home side battled to 176 for 9. Adam Hickey took 4 for 25 for the Munster side. Delany then spun his web of intrigue to bamboozle Harlequins to 115 all out, claiming 5 for 24, while Bahadhur took 4 for 29. Hickey again was the best for Quins, making a late unbeaten 31 which only held up the title winning celebrations for a short while.

Kildare's capitulation opened the door for Railway Union and they barged through with a nine-wicket demolition of Rush at Kenure. The home side were sans Llew Johnson, and lost Nathan McGuire to the first ball of the game. Jack McGee scored 51, adding 65 with his brother Finn, but from 103 for 3, they were skittled for just 141, with Hamza Maan the destroyer-in-chief. He took six wickets for just 20, while there were three scalps for Fakhar Zaman. Kenny Carroll (7) went cheaply in the chase, but an unbroken second wicket stand of 126 between Ashil Prakash and teenager Philippe Le Roux (43*) ensured the win. Prakash made an unbeaten 79 (8 fours, 3 sixes) to ensure that the champagne corks were popping at their return to the top table of Leinster cricket.

Terenure ensured Championship survival and in the process spiked North Kildare's ambitions of promotion after a 71-run win at The Maws. Once again it was the all-round exploits of Raghav Grover which proved pivotal to their 'great escape'. They had one foot on the gallows trapdoor when they slumped to 54 for 7, but Grover top scored with 62 (7 fours, 1 six), adding 65 for the 8th wicket with Sadiq Safi (49), with the latter nurturing the tail to post 169. Grover then took four wickets, with three for Mark Thomas and two for Liam Harris as the home side were bundled out for just 98.

Cork County stunned Harlequins in the Munster derby thanks to a 9th wicket stand between Francois Mostert and Diarmuid Carey. With 70 needed from 39 balls and just two wickets left, it appeared a foregone conclusion. However Mostert’s unbeaten 90 from 91 balls (9 fours, 2 sixes) coupled with Carey’s 34 not out from 16 balls (3 fours, 2 sixes) claimed the win with seven balls to spare. Mostert (4-22) had also starred with the ball in Quins 232, with the runs coming primarily from Brandon Kruger (89) and Ryan Joyce (48) who added 108 for the third wicket. Shivam Kislay was also in the runs with a hard-hit 47. In the end though, the bragging rights belong to County.

The Championship title race took another twist as North Kildare got the better of Leinster in a low-scoring match at The Maws. Former Leinster player Monil Patel top-scored with 34, while professional Kaustubh Pawar made 33 in their 147 - four wickets for Mark Tonge. Ben Mitchell got two wickets, and top-scored in the chase with 29. However, Akhilesh Sharma (4-18), Abdul Sattar (2-22), and Imran Ul Haq (2-31) combined to dismiss them for 101, giving the top of the table a congested look as the season end draws near.

Rush openers Llew Johnson and Nathan McGuire combined to pummel an understrength Terenure, chasing down their modest 157 target in under 13 overs at Kenure. McGuire, back now that the North West season has ended, hit 7 fours and 3 sixes in his 24-ball 51, sharing an opening stand of 115 with Johnson in just 50 balls. The New Zealander, already past the 1000 run landmark, would go on to make an unbeaten 94 from 38 deliveries (10 fours, 7 sixes). Earlier, Donal Vaughan’s 59 was the best of the Terenure batting. There were three wickets apiece for Jarred Barnes and Daniel Coffey, with Brandon Morris getting two in a fine-all-round display by the Fingal side.

Eddie Richardson and Jonathan Andrews both scored half centuries as North County put a dent in Railway Union’s title hopes with a 60-run win. Richardson hit 6 fours and 2 sixes as he top-scored with 60, adding 96 in 19 overs for the fourth wicket with Andrews (50). Liam McCarthy took four wickets as County posted 206. Railway’s chase never looked likely as they lost early wickets, with Abdul Ghaffar removing the openers, then Sean Sludds and Malcolm Nofal (4-40) accounting for the middle and late order. Alan Mathew made a battling 44, but the Park Avenue side were 146 all out.

Cork County stunned Harlequins in the Munster derby thanks to a 9th wicket stand between Francois Mostert and Diarmuid Carey. With 70 needed from 39 balls and just two wickets left, it appeared a foregone conclusion. However Mostert’s unbeaten 90 from 91 balls (9 fours, 2 sixes) coupled with Carey’s 34 not out from 16 balls (3 fours, 2 sixes) claimed the win with seven balls to spare. Mostert (4-22) had also starred with the ball in Quins 232, with the runs coming primarily from Brandon Kruger (89) and Ryan Joyce (48) who added 108 for the third wicket. Shivam Kislay was also in the runs with a hard-hit 47. In the end though, the bragging rights belong to County.

The Championship title race took another twist as North Kildare got the better of Leinster in a low-scoring match at The Maws. Former Leinster player Monil Patel top-scored with 34, while professional Kaustubh Pawar made 33 in their 147 - four wickets for Mark Tonge. Ben Mitchell got two wickets, and top-scored in the chase with 29. However, Akhilesh Sharma (4-18), Abdul Sattar (2-22), and Imran Ul Haq (2-31) combined to dismiss them for 101, giving the top of the table a congested look as the season end draws near.

Rush openers Llew Johnson and Nathan McGuire combined to pummel an understrength Terenure, chasing down their modest 157 target in under 13 overs at Kenure. McGuire, back now that the North West season has ended, hit 7 fours and 3 sixes in his 24-ball 51, sharing an opening stand of 115 with Johnson in just 50 balls. The New Zealander, already past the 1000 run landmark, would go on to make an unbeaten 94 from 38 deliveries (10 fours, 7 sixes). Earlier, Donal Vaughan’s 59 was the best of the Terenure batting. There were three wickets apiece for Jarred Barnes and Daniel Coffey, with Brandon Morris getting two in a fine-all-round display by the Fingal side.

Eddie Richardson and Jonathan Andrews both scored half centuries as North County put a dent in Railway Union’s title hopes with a 60-run win. Richardson hit 6 fours and 2 sixes as he top-scored with 60, adding 96 in 19 overs for the fourth wicket with Andrews (50). Liam McCarthy took four wickets as County posted 206. Railway’s chase never looked likely as they lost early wickets, with Abdul Ghaffar removing the openers, then Sean Sludds and Malcolm Nofal (4-40) accounting for the middle and late order. Alan Mathew made a battling 44, but the Park Avenue side were 146 all out.

Cork County stunned Harlequins in the Munster derby thanks to a 9th wicket stand between Francois Mostert and Diarmuid Carey. With 70 needed from 39 balls and just two wickets left, it appeared a foregone conclusion. However Mostert’s unbeaten 90 from 91 balls (9 fours, 2 sixes) coupled with Carey’s 34 not out from 16 balls (3 fours, 2 sixes) claimed the win with seven balls to spare. Mostert (4-22) had also starred with the ball in Quins 232, with the runs coming primarily from Brandon Kruger (89) and Ryan Joyce (48) who added 108 for the third wicket. Shivam Kislay was also in the runs with a hard-hit 47. In the end though, the bragging rights belong to County.

The Championship title race took another twist as North Kildare got the better of Leinster in a low-scoring match at The Maws. Former Leinster player Monil Patel top-scored with 34, while professional Kaustubh Pawar made 33 in their 147 - four wickets for Mark Tonge. Ben Mitchell got two wickets, and top-scored in the chase with 29. However, Akhilesh Sharma (4-18), Abdul Sattar (2-22), and Imran Ul Haq (2-31) combined to dismiss them for 101, giving the top of the table a congested look as the season end draws near.

Rush openers Llew Johnson and Nathan McGuire combined to pummel an understrength Terenure, chasing down their modest 157 target in under 13 overs at Kenure. McGuire, back now that the North West season has ended, hit 7 fours and 3 sixes in his 24-ball 51, sharing an opening stand of 115 with Johnson in just 50 balls. The New Zealander, already past the 1000 run landmark, would go on to make an unbeaten 94 from 38 deliveries (10 fours, 7 sixes). Earlier, Donal Vaughan’s 59 was the best of the Terenure batting. There were three wickets apiece for Jarred Barnes and Daniel Coffey, with Brandon Morris getting two in a fine-all-round display by the Fingal side.

Eddie Richardson and Jonathan Andrews both scored half centuries as North County put a dent in Railway Union’s title hopes with a 60-run win. Richardson hit 6 fours and 2 sixes as he top-scored with 60, adding 96 in 19 overs for the fourth wicket with Andrews (50). Liam McCarthy took four wickets as County posted 206. Railway’s chase never looked likely as they lost early wickets, with Abdul Ghaffar removing the openers, then Sean Sludds and Malcolm Nofal (4-40) accounting for the middle and late order. Alan Mathew made a battling 44, but the Park Avenue side were 146 all out.

North Kildare put a dent in Railway Union's promotion hopes as they beat them by five wickets at The Maws. Ashil Prakash (42) and Kenny Carroll (24) gave Railway a decent start before the wheels came off with three wickets for Sharma and Ul-Haq. A total of 123 proved little trouble as Kildare batted solidly to clinch the win, despite the best efforts of Alan Matthew (3-25).

Rush won the Fingal derby against North County, never looking back from a strong opening partnership of 88 between Llew Johnson and Jack McGee (35). Johnson top-scored with 77 from 65 balls, hitting 7 fours and 5 sixes in their total of 234. Niall McGovern’s 40 gave County early hope, but four wickets for former Irish international Allan Eastwood, plus two apiece from Brandon Morris and Asher Abbasi clinched a surprisingly emphatic 71-run victory.

Cork Harlequins warmed up for Sunday's All-Ireland T20 final with a 144-run demolition of Terenure. Devon Joyce's half century was the highlight of the Munster side's 189, with 20s from Brandon Kruger, Shivam Kislay, and Dhawan Mehta. Zubair Khan (4-45) and Raghav Grover (3-33) were best with the ball for the hosts. Terenure were skittled out for just 45 in the reply, with Seanan Jones taking 4 for 21 and Esmat Ibrahimi 3 for 16 in a great bowling effort which will give them great confidence for the CIYMS clash.

Leinster are back in the mix after their 191-run mauling of Cork County. Joey Carroll’s unbeaten 152 from 153 balls included 15 fours and 4 sixes, and took the Rathmines side to 296 for 4. He shared a fourth wicket stand of 125 with Saqib Bahadur (51), while Ben Mitchell earlier hit a rapid 49. Cork’s chase never got out of first gear, bowled out for 105, with four wickets for Mark Tonge, and three apiece for Bilal Azhar and Ben Mitchell.

North Kildare put a dent in Railway Union's promotion hopes as they beat them by five wickets at The Maws. Ashil Prakash (42) and Kenny Carroll (24) gave Railway a decent start before the wheels came off with three wickets for Sharma and Ul-Haq. A total of 123 proved little trouble as Kildare batted solidly to clinch the win, despite the best efforts of Alan Matthew (3-25).

Rush won the Fingal derby against North County, never looking back from a strong opening partnership of 88 between Llew Johnson and Jack McGee (35). Johnson top-scored with 77 from 65 balls, hitting 7 fours and 5 sixes in their total of 234. Niall McGovern’s 40 gave County early hope, but four wickets for former Irish international Allan Eastwood, plus two apiece from Brandon Morris and Asher Abbasi clinched a surprisingly emphatic 71-run victory.

Cork Harlequins warmed up for Sunday's All-Ireland T20 final with a 144-run demolition of Terenure. Devon Joyce's half century was the highlight of the Munster side's 189, with 20s from Brandon Kruger, Shivam Kislay, and Dhawan Mehta. Zubair Khan (4-45) and Raghav Grover (3-33) were best with the ball for the hosts. Terenure were skittled out for just 45 in the reply, with Seanan Jones taking 4 for 21 and Esmat Ibrahimi 3 for 16 in a great bowling effort which will give them great confidence for the CIYMS clash.

Leinster are back in the mix after their 191-run mauling of Cork County. Joey Carroll’s unbeaten 152 from 153 balls included 15 fours and 4 sixes, and took the Rathmines side to 296 for 4. He shared a fourth wicket stand of 125 with Saqib Bahadur (51), while Ben Mitchell earlier hit a rapid 49. Cork’s chase never got out of first gear, bowled out for 105, with four wickets for Mark Tonge, and three apiece for Bilal Azhar and Ben Mitchell.

The ‘old firm’ of Kenny Carroll and Liam McCarthy inspired Railway Union to a vital 37-run win in their promotion battle with fellow title hopefuls Leinster at Rathmines. Kenny shared a second wicket stand of 153 with Ashil Prakash (62) as Railway looked set for a total well in excess of 200. However, three wickets apiece for Ben Mitchell and Saqib Bahadur saw 155 for 1 become 187 all out. Bilal Azhar (74), Ben Mitchell (21) and Joey Carroll (19) gave the home side a strong start at 73 for 1, but they too slumped when well set. Liam McCarthy took a five wicket haul, while Alan Mathew and Hamza Maan each claimed a brace as Leinster were 150 all out.

Byron McDonough’s brutal assault on the Terenure attack inspired Cork County to a 135-run win at The Mardyke. He clubbed 8 sixes and 6 fours in whirlwind 98 from just 61 balls as the Munster side piled up 315 for 8. There was a half century too for skipper Ross Durity (60), while Sukphal Singh (37) and Cormac Hassett (34) also contributed. Donal Lynch 952) and Raghav Grover (46) offered some resistance, but four wickets for Singh, and three for Abu Saddique ensured the comfortable win.

Half centuries for Jonathan Andrews and Malcolm Nofal led North County to a 119-run win over Cork Harlequins. Andrews top-scored with 64 (3 fours, 3 sixes), while Nofal made 55 in County’s 253 for 9. Brandon Kruger (3-22) and Esmat Ibrahami (3-52) each took three wickets for the Munster side. Abdul Ghaffar took four wickets as Quins slid to 44 for 5, but a 6th wicket stand of 66 between Ryan Joyce – whose 52 from 43 balls contained 6 fours and 3 sixes- and Matt Brewster (30) offered the visitors hope. However, once Nofal (3-26) broke the stand, the game petered out as Harlequins were bowled out for 134.

A poor batting display by Rush saw them overpowered by North Kildare at Kenure. The home side were in trouble from the off, losing Llew Johnson second ball, slumping to 21 for 5. That they recovered to 175 was down to the late order, with Asher Abbasi hitting 55 (7 fours, 2 sixes), Allan Eastwood (26*) and David Carthy (24). A solid chase saw overseas professional Kaustubh Pawar (44), Khawaja Murtaza Sidiqi (41*) and Manjeet Singh (40*) all in the runs – the latter pair adding an unbroken 70 for a convincing win.

National Cup finalists Terenure made short work of Rush, whose batsmen with the exception of Llew Johnson, struggled on the new mat. Johnson hit 8 fours and 2 sixes in his 52 out of a total of 77. The other ten managed a combined 19, with number ten Brandon Morris making 10 of those. Bhavic Tukrel was the destroyer-in-chief taking seven wickets for 16. Seamus Lynch and Henry Dall had no fears over the surface, as they knocked off the runs in just eight overs. Lynch smashed 5 fours and 4 sixes in his unbeaten 56 from only 31 balls, while Dall’s 23 not out included five boundaries.

Railway Union edged out North County by 14 runs in the Championship promotion battle. Wickets for Abdul Ghaffar (4-49) and Usman Azhar (2-46) reduced Railway to 108 for 8, but Fakhar Zaman’s unbeaten 54 (5 fours, 2 sixes) allowed them to rally to 199 for 9, which was to the match defining passage of play. Zaman then took 2 for 10 in his ten overs spell, as County slumped to 57 for 5 in the 28th over – wickets too for Sean O’Brien (3-48) and Liam McCarthy (2-39). John Mooney was still there though, and he top-scored with 63 (4 fours, 3 sixes) as he added 93 with Luke Whelan (35). However, the required rate was just too much, the home side winning by 14 runs despite a late cameo of 26 in 16 balls from Sean Sludds (26*).

Leinster’s promotion challenge remained on track as they beat North Kildare by 148-runs. The win was set up by a consistent batting effort that saw the top seven all in the runs. Saqib Bahadur top-scored with 69, while there was also a half century for professional Ben Mitchell (53), who shared an opening stand of 66 with Bilal Azhar (38) as they posted 263 for 7. Ben Mitchell (2-26) struck an early blow with the wicket of Kaustubh Pawar, and from then it was the Bilal Azhar show, as he took six wickets in a superb display. Kildare were dismissed for 115, with Waqar Azmat hitting a defiant 53.

Munster bragging rights went to Cork County who edged out Harlequins by two wickets in a real ding-dong game. Francois Mostert (4-14) had Harlequins reeling at 7 for 4, and 77 for 7, but they battled their way to 180, with Seanan Jones and Kieran O’Reilly both making 39. Cormac Hassett struck ten boundaries in a hard-hit 70 from only 64 balls, and with Ben Marris (32) and Eshan O’Sullivan (28) also in the runs, it looked straightforward for County. However, four wickets for Matt Brewster and two apiece for Max Egan and Seanan Jones meant they had to fight for the two-wicket victory.

Railway Union won again as they beat Terenure by 41 runs. Batting first they made 208, with Hashir Sultan top-scoring with 53 (6 fours, 3 sixes), and cameos from Mark Canniffe (37), and Kenny Carroll (25) Kevin O’Brien made an appearance but was dismissed for 13, while for Terenure Raghav Grover and Zubair Khan each took three wickets. Seven Terenure batters made double figures, but Niqash Ali’s 33 was the best of their 167 all out. Sean O’Brien and Stuart De Klerk each took three wickets while Canniffe took two. Terenure will reflect on conceding 39 extras – not many teams win games having done that.

Llew Johnson’s rich vein of form continued as he almost single-handedly chased down Cork Harlequins modest 127 total as Rush won by 8 wickets. The New Zealander hit 10 fours and 8 sixes in his 96 from just 49 balls in the onslaught. Jarred Barnes finished off the chase with three sixes in his 25 not out as they won in the 18th over. Barnes (2-34) struck twice in the first over of Cork’s innings, and they never really recovered despite battling knocks from Cian Egerton (33), Dhawan Mehta (26), and Ru Jones (22) as they got to 127. Allan Eastwood and Daniel Coffey each took three wickets in an impressive Rush win.

Leinster won the promotion battle as they beat North County by 17 runs in a rain affected contest at Inch. In a 39-over game, the Rathmines side 193 for 9 was set up by an impressive batting display from the top four, three of whom made half centuries. In-form Joey Carroll top-scored with 66 (8 fours), while skipper Bilal Azhar hit 54, and Tristen De Beer a rapid 50 from 43 balls (4 fours, 2 sixes). Usman Azhar (4-45) and Abdul Ghaffar (3-31) best with the ball for the hosts. John Devane (38) and Niall McGovern (32) added 75 for the first wicket in 15 overs, but a flurry of wickets saw them falter to 107 for 5 in the 25th – three vital wickets for Mark Tonge – which meant Leinster were 17 ahead on DLS when play was halted.

It was the Joey Carroll show at Rathmines as the all-rounder scored a brilliant century to help Leinster to an emphatic win over Cork Harlequins. His side were in early trouble at 37 for 4, but Carroll hit 11 fours and 6 sixes on his way to an unbeaten 122. He shared stands of 101 for the fifth wicket with Jason Nagle (35), and 63 for the 7th with Mark Tonge (24) as they posted 245. Seanan Jones picked up 5 for 50, while there were two wickets apiece for Cian Egerton (2-21) and Brandon Kruger (2-48). In the chase, only Kruger with an unbeaten 47 (5 fours), really got going, as they were dismissed for 100, with three wickets each for skipper Bilal Azhar (3-8), and Jack Barry (3-19) in the 145-run win.

Runs were hard earned too at Park Avenue where leaders Railway Union fought back tenaciously to beat Rush by 68 runs. They looked in real trouble as three wickets for former Irish international Allan Eastwood and Daniel Coffey, coupled with two each for Jared Barnes and Alex Neary had them reeling at 103 for 8. However, the last two wickets added a further 57, with Mark Canniffe making 35 and Hamza Maan 26 in total of 160. Railway’s attack then set about defending the target, with Hamza Maan (2-30) getting the prize scalps of Llew Johnson (20) and Neil Rock. Aaron McGuire made 31 before being run out, and wickets then for Alan Matthew (2-12), Fakhar Zaman (2-22) and skipper Liam McCarthy (3-24) saw Rush 92 all out, and keeps Railway’s promotion hopes very much on track.

Eddie Richardson’s excellent all-round display ensured North County remain very much in the promotion mix as they beat Cork County by four wickets at The Mardyke. The home side batted to 183 for 9, with Abdul Ghaffar top scoring with 55 (5 fours, 2 sixes), with runs too for Cormac Hassett (40) and Ross Durity (26). Skipper Richardson claimed 4 for 41, while Usman Azhar took 2 for 35, while Malcolm Nofal took 1 for 13 in his ten overs. The reply saw North County struggling initially at 45 for 3, with two wickets for Nabeel Anjum (2-32). However, a fourth wicket stand of 98 between Nofal and Richardson broke the back of the chase. Nofal made 76 (7 fours, 2 sixes), while the captain hit 63 (6 fours, 1 six). There were late wickets with the finishing line in sight, but the Fingal side were always in control after that partnership and sealed an ultimately comfortable four-wicket victory.

North Kildare’s good run continued as they beat Terenure by four wickets in a low scoring match in Dublin. Kildare’s overseas professional Kaustabh Pawar was the hero for his side, but with the ball rather than the bat, as he claimed five wickets for just 14 runs as Terenure were bowled out for 91. Sidharth Nair top-scored with 26, while Raghav Grover chipped in with 21. Abdul Sattar (2-28) was also among the wickets in a fine bowling effort. When it was Kildare’s turn to bat on the mat, they too found the going tough as they slipped to 36 for 5, and 56 for 6, with wickets for Grover (2-45), Zubair Khan (2-10), and Dylan Cleary (2-20). Sattar though clared the ropes three times in an unbeaten 33, sharing a seventh wicket stand of 39 with Khawaja Murtaza Sidiqi (26) to seal the four-wicket win.

Bilal Azhar was another bowler very much on the top of his game as he took seven wickets to lead Leinster to a 37-run win over Terenure. Bilal had figures of 7 for 41 as his side dismissed the hosts for 148. Henry Dall’s 50 from 47 balls (11 fours) had given Terenure a fine start but Bilal’s effort ensured the win. Joey Carroll top-scored for Leinster with a fine 58 (7 fours, 2 sixes), while there were runs too for Rian Cassidy (34) and Tristen De Beer (28). The Rathmines side collapsed from 172 for 3, losing six wickets for 13 runs, with four wickets for Mark Thomas, and two each for Zubair Khan, Raghav Grover, and Sadiq Safi. Luckily for Leinster, the collapse wasn’t costly thanks to Bilal’s fine effort.

Five wicket hauls for Alan Matthew and Liam McCarthy helped Railway Union defend 123 to beat Cork Harlequins by 49 runs at Park Avenue. Seanan Jones (28*) was the only player to make double figures as Matthew took 5 for 20, while McCarthy took 5 for 34. The bowlers had also been on top in the Railway innings with Brandon Kruger taking 4 for 21, and Matt Brewster 3 for 18. For Railway, Ross Wynne and Hashir Sultan each scored 23, while McCarthy made 22 – all valuable runs in the win.

Cork County crushed Rush by a whopping 225 runs at Kenure in a real eye-opening display. Cormac Hassett hit 5 sixes in a hard-hit 58, sharing a third wicket stand of 82 with skipper Ross Durity, who hit 9 fours in his 57. Francois Mostert also made a run-a-ball 45 (4 fours, 2 sixes) as Cork made 264, while there were four wickets apiece for Daniel Coffey and Aaron McGuire. Sukphal Singh had been dismissed first ball, but he produced a fine bowling display, claiming 5 for 11 as Rish were bundled out for just 39. Eshan O’ Sullivan taking 3 for 14, while there was one wicket each for Mostert and Byron McDonough on a day to remember for Cork.

Ghulam Muhammad was another five-wicket hero as North County overpowered North Kildare at The Maws. Ghulan took 5 for 18 as the home side collapsed from 92 for 4 to 100 all out. There were three wickets too for Malcolm Nofal, with one apiece for Abdul Ghaffar and Sean Sludds. Yaseen Sherzad top-scored for Kildare with 35. Jamie Grassi’s unbeaten 58 from 49 balls (8 fours, 1 six) ensured an easy win, as he and Niall McGovern (20) shared an opening stand of 71 in nine overs. Manjeet Singh (2-30) got a bit of respectability into what was a very one-sided contest.

Railway Union recovered from a poor start to record an ultimately comfortable 68-run win over North Kildare. Devansh Bansali ripped through the Railway top order on his way to a six wicket haul, and it looked an early finish as they were struggling on 49 for 5. However a sixth wicket stand of 99 between Philippe Le Roux and Liam McCarthy, both of whom made 50s allowed them to recover to 195 all out. Kildare in reply could only manage 127, with Kaustabh Pawar making 27.

Eddie Richardson’s five-wickets haul and an unbeaten 93 from Malcolm Nofal got North County’s promotion push back on track as they chased 200 to win by seven wickets at Rush. The North County skipper took 5 for 22 as Rush scored 199 – tanks primarily to a century stand between Jared Barnes (54) and Andrew Doheny (42). John Mooney got 2 for 25 including Neil Rock (25), while Nofal’s two wickets included the prize scalp of Llew Johnson (29). Jamie Grassi (37) and Niall McGovern (22) got the innings off to a solid start, and although John Mooney fell for 0, County still romped home. Nofal smashed 10 fours and 5 sixes in an unbeaten 93, adding 110 in 12 overs with Richardson (31*) to clinch the emphatic win.

Terenure survived a rally by Cork Harlequins to secure a four-wicket win. The Cork side had been reeling at 59 for 7, with Raghav Grover being chiefly responsible taking four wickets. Umer Khan counterattacked hitting five fours and two sixes in his 47 from just 38 balls, helping Quins post 131. Donal Lynch (31) and Henry Dall (19) shared a half century opening stand before both fell to Seanan Jones (3-53), who also dismissed Donal Vaughan. Mick Cotter made a breezy 21, while Sidharth Nair (18) also chipped in to the victory.

Cork County won the closest game of the day as they edged out Leinster by one wicket at Rathmines. Bilal Azhar’s half century and 21 from Rian Cassidy saw Leinster post 135, with four wickets for Kevin O’Sullivan. The Munster side were pushed all the way as Ben Mitchell also responded with four wickets, but Byron McDonough’s crucial quickfire 39 from 32 balls (6 fours) was the difference in a tense chase, with Diarmuid Carey’s boundary clinching a one-wicket win.

It was the joy of six for Terenure's Sadiq Safi who was the destroyer-in-chief as Terenure found home advantage to their liking as they bundled out North County for just 63. John Mooney (20) and Eddie Richardson (19) had taken their side to 52 for3, before they lost seven wickets for just 11 runs in a dramatic capitulation. The modest target was knocked off with minimum fuss in 11 overs, with Seamus Lynch hitting four sixes in his rapid 30 and Henry Dall an unbeaten 26.

Leinster showed their promotion credentials with a 156-run demolition of Rush at Kenure. Ben Mitchell got the innings off to a flying start as he he thumped 7 fours and 7 sixes in a whirlwind 86 from just 55 balls. He shared a second wicket stand of 116 in 16 overs with Joey Carroll, who would go on to make an unbeaten 113 (12 fours, 3 sixes). There were also runs for Mark Tonge (40) and Jason Nagle (27*) as the Rathmines side posted 306 for 5. The Rush reply never goit going as too mnay players reached double figures then got out. Asher Abassi (43) was the only batter to pass 20 as they were dismissed for 150. Mitchell and Carroll completed a fine all-round day with three wickets each, while Bilal Azhar and Tristen de Beer got two apiece.

North Kildare were the quickest winners of the day as they trounced Cork Harlequins by eight wickets in a game that lasted just over 30 overs. The Munster side were bundled out for just 74, with fourwickets for Manjeet Singh, three for Imran Ul Haq and two for Wasif Ali. The chase took just ten overs, as Indian professional Kaustubh Pawar made an unbeaten 40 (3 fours, 4 sixes) from 30 balls. Hassan Mehmood also scored 20 before being one of two consolation wickets for Brandon Kruger.

Closest game of the day was at Park Avenue where Railway Union beat Cork County by 26 runs in a rain affected contest. Liam McCarthy top-scored with 46, while the ever consistent Kenny Carroll hit 45 in the home side's 186 - three wickets for Francois Mostert. A revised target of 176 in 46 overs looked well within their grasp as they reached 131 for 4, with Cormac Hassett (69) well set. However, three wickets for Sean O'Brien saw them lose six wickets for 18 runs to slide to defeat.

Leinster were the day's biggest winners in the Championship as they crushed Railway Union by 216 runs at Park Avenue. Saqib Bahadur top scored with 78, while there also half centuries for Ben Mitchell and Tristen De Beer, who hit 4 sixes and 4 fours in his 52 from just 36 balls. De Beer added 75 in just 7 overs for the ninth wicket with Amit Waghmare (24), while others who contributed to the 319 total were Peter Masterson (47) and Joey Carroll (31). Railway in reply could only muster 103, with three wickets each for Mitchell and Bahadur.

Terenure won their first game of the season as they chased 182 to beat Cork County by three wickets. Ross Durity top scored with 60 for the Munster side, adding 68 for the seventh wicket with Nabeel Anjum (47) after Raghav Grover (4-23) had them in trouble at 65 for 6. Cork rallied to 182 with two wickets also for Sadiq Safi, Mick Cotter and Dylan Cleary. Seamus Lynch's brutal assault on the Cork County all but settled the match, as he hit 8 sixes and 6 fours in a belligerent 81 from 48 balls. He added 93 for the second wicket with Raghav Grover (38), and despite a fightback, Sidarth Nair's unbeaten 25 sealed the three-wicket win.

North County showed their depth as they beat Cork Harlequins by 73 runs in a game that was far from as comprehensive as the result margin would suggest. County were struggling at 99 for 7, and it took an eighth wicket stand of 134 in 20 overs between Andrew Sheridan and Luke Whelan (53) to get them up to the dizzy heights of 242 for 8. Sheridan hit 6 sixes in his unbeaten 100 - reaching three figures off the last ball of the innings. Awais Saghar (34) and Shiwan Kislay (33) helped Harlequins to 103 for 2 in the chase, but they folded to 169 all out - three wickers for Malcolm Nofal and Usman Azhar.

North Kildare sprang a surprise as they beat Rush by 57 runs at The Maws. Indian overseas professional Kaustbh Pawar top scored with 52 as they made 201, adding 78 for the fourth wicket with Husnain Mahroof (43). There were four wickets apiece for Jared Barnes and Asher Abbassi. In the chase, New Zealander Llew Johnson was again in the runs with 44, but despite his best efforts and 33 from skipper Neil Rock, Rush were dismissed for 144 after collapsing from 115 for 3. Abdul Sattar took four wickets, while Pawar's excellent day finished with 3 for 25.

Llew Johnson's dream season shows no season of diminishing as he took his tally for the campaign well past 600 to help Rush to a convincing six wickets win against Leinster at Rathmines. Chasing 128, Johnson dominated the reply as he hit 12 fours and a six in his unbeaten 80 from just 83 balls to steer his side over the line just past the halfway point. Ben Mitchell (2-17) struck two early blows, but Johnson was the immovable object as he added 60 for the fourth wicket with Aaron McGuire, who made nine. Earlier Asher Abbasi had claimed four wickets and Daniel Coffey three as Leinster's batters found the going tough, with the exception of skipper Bilal Azhar (38). Rush will be amongst the favourites for promotion on this form, and if Johnson continues to score heavily, who would bet against them?

Cork Harlequins' struggles in the Championship continued as they were blown away by a magnificent seven wickets haul for Abdul Sattar. Sattar claimed 7 for 14 as the Munster side managed just 60 chasing 225 - Seanan Jones' 22 the highlight of a poor effort. Kaustabh Pawar top-scored with 64 as The Maws side reached 140 for 2 - runs too for Khawaja Siddiqui (45). Four wickets apiece for Ru Jones and Dawan Mehta saw Harlequins come back strongly, but alas ultimately in vain as Kildare made it two wins for two.

Railway Union's trip to the Mardyke was a successful one as Kenny Carroll yet again was the cornerstone of a seven-wickets win. Carroll hit 8 fours and cleared the ropes 3 times in an unbeaten 84 as his team made light work of a 174 target. He shared a third wicket partnership of 93 with Hashir Sultan (51) that all but settled the contest. Earlier, Cork County recovered from 27 for 4 to reach 173 thanks to a fifth wicket stand of 94 between Sukhpal Singh (60) and Abdul Ghaffar (50). Hamza Maan impressed with 4 for 36, while Alan Matthew claimed three victims in an impressive all-round display by Railway.

Terenure's miserable season continued as they were crushed by a merciless North County by 10 wickets at Inch. Batting first, Terenure were unable to come to terms with the seam attack of the Fingal side, as only Donal Vaughan's 21 saved them from a worse fate than the 62 they managed to cobble together. John Mooney (3-14) was again in the wickets, with Abdul Ghaffar also taking three scalps, while there were two apiece for Andrew Sheridan and Usman Azhar. Niall McGovern didn't mess about in the chase, as he hit 6 fours and 3 sixes in his half century from only 35 balls. He and Sean Rooney (11*) passing the modest target in the 11th over without loss.

Closest game of the day in the Championship was Railway Union's two wicket win at Terenure, with Ciaran Divney the last over hero for the Park Avenue side. Terenure were indebted to a hard-hit 70 from Raghav Grover (7 fours, 2 sixes) which rescued his side from a precarious 76 for 7. He added 62 for the 8th wicket with Sadiq Safi (24) to help the home side to a competitive 188. The total looked even more competitive when Kenny Carroll fell for 0, and it took 43 from Alan Matthew to get them back on track as he added 64 with Divney. Eight were needed from the last over, and a boundary which was also a no-ball proved crucial as Divney and Railway got over the line with a ball to spare in a superb match.

Llew Johnson was another overseas centurion with the New Zealander's prolific campaign continuing as he made 138 to help Rush beat Cork Harlequins by 83 runs at Kenure. Johnson hit 13 fours and 8 sixes in his brilliant century, sharing a seventh wicket stand of 100 in 18 overs with Ashar Abassi (30) after Rush had been in a spot of bother at 111 for 6. Alex Neary (21) and Allan Eastwood both struck some late, lusty blows to help Rush to 268 for 9 - four wickets for Brandon Kruger and three for Esmat Ibrahami. Harlequins struggled in the chase as they collapsed to 79 for 7 - wickets for Jack McGee, Allan Eastwood and Jarred Barnes. The tail did wag with 20s for Seanan Jones, Max Egan, Ibrahami and Jack Buss, but they were eventually dismissed for 185 - Jack McGee finishing with 4 for 36.

North County were on the end of a thrashing as they went down to Leinster by 121 runs to Leinster at Rathmines. The home side were indebted to 66 from Saqib Bahadur, who added 66 for the 6th wickets with Craig McKay in their 189 all out. John Mooney's excellent season continued with the former Irish international claiming four wickets for 29, while there were two apiece for Usman Azhar and Abdul Ghaffar. County's reply never got going as they were skittled for just 68. Home skipper Bilal Azhar did the damage taking five wickets, while there were three for Ben Mitchell in a convincing win for Leinster.

Indian overseas professional Kaustabh Pawar's introduction to Irish cricket was certainly a spectacular one as he made the highest score of the day, his 191 helping North Kildare to a whopping 262 runs victory over Cork County at The Maws. Pawar hit 17 sixes and 11 fours in his 135-ball innings, sharing a third wicket stand of 147 in 22 overs with Samran Patel (38). Imran Ul Haq also made 32 as the hosts made 310 for 6. Cork's reply was soon in tatters as they slumped to 10 for 5, eventually finishing 48 all out, with four wickets for Manjeet Singh (4-7), Muzamil Sherzad (3-12) and Abdul Sattar (2-20).