Ireland must have been wondering if they had made a mistake by opting to bat first as George Cutler claimed Ethan Marshall and Robert O’Brien in consecutive deliveries reducing the hosts to 5 for 2 in the series decider. A fourth wicket partnership of 63 between Adam Leckey and Daniel Murray dragged them back into the game and to a total that they would subsequently defend. The Scottish chase started in the worst possible way with skipper Thomas Knight falling to the first ball and big scoring Rory Grant gone in the second over both without scoring. A becalmed Ethan Ramsay then took on Ethan Marshall’s arm and a direct hit from mid off saw him run out by a distance - 8/3. Finlay Carter and Bruce Weatherhead steadied the ship but the visitors were never up with the rate and even a flurry of runs from the late order was not enough to threaten a home victory. Ireland won the series 3-2 in a week of tight games with last over, last ball finishes the order of the day. Some serious talent on display in both sides and all will have benefitted from the experience of these games.

Scotland took a 2-1 lead in the Celtic Cup with an eight wicket win in the morning game. Ireland’s 151/5 was made to look inadequate as the visitors closed out the game with an over to spare. Brian Dunphy was in the runs again for the hosts, his 54 coming off 58 balls (7x4, 1x6), and Ethan Marshall cleared the ropes twice in the tail end of the innings. Not enough though, as Thomas Knight and Rory Grant added 82 in an opening partnership that eased the scoreboard pressure, before an unbroken partnership of 58 between Ethan Ramsay and Bruce Weatherhead saw the Scots to a comfortable win.

The U17 Celtic Cup will go to a deciding T20 match on Friday morning after honours were shared in today’s double header with Ireland winning off the final delivery to level the series 2-2.

After a morning lost to rain, a 35 over a side game got underway after an early lunch with Ireland again asking Scotland to bat first. There was an early success for skipper Olly Riley bowling yesterday’s centurion Rory Grant without scoring. It was steady if slow progress from the visitors with wickets falling at regular intervals, two each for Adam Leckey, Ethan Marshall and Daniel Murray and it took a late flurry from Max Chaplin who top scored for the Scots with 45, including the only two maximums of the innings that saw them post 161 off their reduced 35 overs.North County's Brian Dunphy led the chase with a better than a run a ball 83 (8x4, 3x6) after the early loss of his opening partner Freddie Ogilby. Dunphy was to fall in the 24th over, as was Adam Leckey after they shared a 71 run partnership for the third wicket. Both were stumped by Scots skipper Thomas Knight off the bowling of Ram Sharma leaving Daniel Murray and James West to score the 39 more required to level the series. The series continues after rest day on Wednesday with two T20 matches on Thursday and one on Friday all at the same venue.

Asked to bat first Scotland weathered the early storm from the Ireland seamers before Rory Grant posted a magnificent century. Not a great day in the field for the Boys in Green who spilled half a dozen catches, which in the end proved to be their undoing. Robert O'Brien again top scoring for Ireland, but there were starts for everyone at the top of the order and when 'Nelson' claimed the third wicket Ireland needed only 101 in 25 overs. The Scots stuck to the task however, and the rest of the Ireland batting fell away, losing their last four wickets for the addition of only 4 runs. Match 2 in the series, another 50 over game is at the same venue tomorrow, 10.45 start.

Robert O'Brien was in the runs again as Ireland U17's chased 291 to beat MCC by 3 wickets in the last over. The Railway Union prodigy hit 8 fours in his 99, sharing a third wicket stand of 133 with with James West, who hit 4 fours in his 52. There were runs too for Bruce Whaley (29) and Dan Murray (22) in an entertaining game at Oak Hill. MCC's total of 290 for 6 saw James Hunter top-score with 90 (12 fours, 3 sixes), adding 127 again for the third wicket with Stephen Ogilby (53). John Anderson and Sanil Gupta both made 41 in what looked like a commanding total. The victory will put the Irish in good spirits as they take on Scotland this coming week in the Celtic Cup in Larne.