I was a couple of minutes late but as I drove into the Castle Avenue car park for the Leinster under 15 Girls cup final, a Merrion batter was confidently and powerfully striking the ball over mid on for a boundary. It wasn't the first and it certainly wouldn't be the last.  

Batting first, Merrion captain Aisling Lawlor strode out to the wicket with her partner Lainey Harte. Twenty overs later, the same two batters strode back to the pavilion having batted the required 20 overs without losing their wicket. A total of 188 was substantial but that only tells a part of the story. 

Lawlor struck the first ball of the game for 4 and before she returned to the sidelines she had struck another 23 of them in a remarkable innings of high class shots all around the wicket. 

For Clontarf, it was a long day in the field. However despite being under the cosh from Lawlor, they stuck to their task and bowled and fielded well. The Merrion pair simply gave them no openings. 

Lawlor’s partner Harte (watched by her grandfather, the former international Chris Harte) played second fiddle but sensibly allowed Lawlor to take the majority of the strike and played very nicely herself for an unbeaten 30. Lawlor brought up her 100 in the 16th over and by the time the innings had closed, she was on 135 with the team total at 188. 

Walking off, she allowed herself a smile. 

In response, Clontarf got off to a great start, driven by the O’Toole Sisters, Katie and Sophie and allowed the home team to dream. However, in her first over Trudie Molins hit Katie O’Toole, on 25, in front and she had the first wicket. 

A couple of overs later, an attempted cheeky quick single resulted in the demise of her sister Sophie. Inevitably, the rate which had been going at 8 an over stalled as the new batters found their feet and the Merrion bowlers grew in confidence. 

Opening bowler Mihika Sahu was excellent and the 2 opening batters, Harte and Lawlor gave Clontarf nothing to work with now that they had the ball. Lily Poynter and Olivia Dunne fought hard for their side, with quite brilliant running between the wickets kept the score ticking along but lacking to power to beat the boundary ropes on a consistent basis, along with the tight bowling meant that the target was just too great. 

Poynter top scored for her side with 27 not out while Dunne notched up 21 as the Clontarf innings closed on 113 for 2. So Merrion were deserved victors by 75 runs.

It’s a dangerous game to play with young players but Aisling Lawlor, remember the name.