The Hills ended a season to forget on a rare high note as they beat Cork County by 65 runs at Milverton. Oliver Horlock once again top-scored for the home side, making 60 (7 fours, 1 six) as they made 168 - four wickets for Bakhtyar Nabi. The Munster side's chase never really got going despite an early 25 for Ben Marris (5 fours). Sean McNicholl (4-39), Febin Manoj (3-18), and Matthew Weldon (2-5) doing the damage as they were dismissed for 103.

There was another low scoring match at Kenure with Balbriggan beating Rush by four wickets. The home side were bundled out for just 84 as Dylan Lues picked up a five-wicket haul, while Jordan Hollard took two scalps. Balbriggan chased down their modest target inside 15 overs, but lost six wickets along the way - three for Nasir Totakhil - in a game that had a distinct end of season feel to proceedings.

North County ended their season on a high note with a two-wicket win over Malahide in a low-scoring match. Malahide made just 129 with Adam Doyle (32) and Matthew Langan (28*) their main contributors. Sean Sludds took four wickets, while teenager Johan George collected a brace. County found the conditions equally tough in the chase and were indebted to Alan Mathew's 33 not out to get them over the line - Sulieman Safi with 28 too. Mike Frost and Kelvin Donnelly each collected two wickets for Malahide in the losing cause.

Jack McGee was the Rush hero as they chased a target of 180 inside 32 overs to win at home to The Hills with five balls to spare. McGee hit 15 fours and 3 sixes in an excellent innings that ensured Fingal bragging rights for the Kenure side despite two wickets apiece for Muzamil Sherzad and Matthew Weldon. Earlier, seven of the top eight made double figures for The Hills, with James Cusack top-scoring with 80 - adding 77 for the 6th wicket with Andrew Kavanagh 45. There were runs too for Cian Nulty (33), Hassan Shahid (31), and Nathan Rooney (30). Allan Eastwood and skipper Jared Barnes each claimed three wickets, while there were two for Asher Abbasi.

North County won the battle of the Counties at The Mardyke as they beat Cork by 101 runs. Suliman Safi was again in the runs after his midweek century, top-scoring with 61 (9 fours) adding 98 for the third wicket with Eddie Richardson (20). Jamie Grassi made a 27-ball 45, and Niall McGovern 27 in a total of 242 - four wickets for Eshan O'Sullivan and two each for Tiago Oelofse and Raj Undre. Mark Adrianatos (38) and Raj Undre (31) put on 83 for the third wicket after two early losses, but Cork fell from 88 for 2 to 141 all out with Alan Mathew and Sean Sludds each claiming three wickets to make the journey back the M8 a happy one for the Balrothery side.

Jeremy Martins starred with bat and ball as Malahide beat Irish Senior Cup champions Balbriggan by 40 runs. Martin's 49 along with 29 from Adam Doyle helped the hosts to what looked like a modest 180 - four wickets for Dylan Lues, and two apiece for Andy Darroch, Seb De Oliveria, and Jordan Hollard. The chase saw Martins then pick up three wickets as Balbriggan were bowled out for 145 despite the best efforts of Jordan Hollard (49) who threatened briefly to replicate last week's heroics at Bready. Ravi Kumar and Mike Frost were also in the wickets in a fine win for Malahide.

In World War Two, the average age of the US combat soldier was 26. In Vietnam he was 19....In-in-in Vietnam he was 19..So went the lyrics of the Paul Hardcastle number one back in 1985. I suspect it will be hummed around Balbriggan for a week or two as they warmed up for next week's Irish Senior Cup final against Clontarf with a demolition job of The Hills. The Skerries side suffered one of those days when nothing goes right that comes around every decade or so. Matt Hollard took 6 for 6, Andy Darroch 3-0 and Seb De Oliveria 1-8 as The Hills were skittled for just 19 in 14 overs - extras with 7 the top score. The chase lasted just 14 balls, but at least the Hills did manage to take two wickets on an otherwise forgettable day.

Closest game of the day was at The Mardyke where Cork County edged out Malahide by six runs. Mark Adrianatos made a century (8 fours, 3 sixes) as he and Raj Undre 88 (4 fours, 7 sixes) added 144 for the third wicket in a home side total of 284 for 6. Malahide looked on course to chase it down with 80's from Robbie Foulkes and Matt Ford, but just couldn't pull it off.

A third wicket stand of 166 between Sulieman Safi and Eddie Richardson propelled North County to an excellent pursuit of 323 to beat Rush at home. Safi made an unbeaten 149 from just 104 balls (15 fours, 7 sixes), while Richardson's even time 91 had 14 fours and one maximum. Abidullah Taniwal had made 110 from only 84 balls (13 fours, 6 sixes) as he and Finn McGee - who made 98 not out - added 172 for the 4th wicket. A day definitely to be a batsman at Inch.