There was incredible drama at Park Avenue as Clontarf pulled off a great escape to deny Railway Union. Chasing 281, Clontarf looked down and out at 186 for 8 with four wickets for Srihan Karpe and two for Liam McCarthy. However, Patrick Xie benefitted from being dropped twice to post a superb unbeaten 115 from 97 balls (8 fours, 2 sixes), finding a willing ally in Yash Bala (28*). The result was tough on young Rob O'Brien, who hit 9 fours in an even time 92 for Railway that probably deserved to be a match winning innings.

Leinster fought back well to beat Malahide by 53 runs in an entertaining match at The Village. Ben Mitchell hit 11 fours in a rapid 47-ball 61 as Leinster made 232. Liam Foulkes took five wickets, and his brother Robbie tried his best with the bat to get the home side over the line. He made a brilliant 99 (15 fours, 1 six) adding 60 for the 5th wicket with his sibling, but three wickets apiece for Bilal Azhar and Saqib Bahadur ensured victory for the Rathmines side.

It was the George Dockrell show as Phoenix Park as the Irish international's unbeaten 117 was the catalyst for an emphatic 180-run win. His 93-ball knock included 8 fours and 6 sixes, and was the bedrock for their total of 267 for 8 - 33 apiece for Shane Getkate and Amish Sidhu. Tyrone Kane then blew away the top order with a five wicket haul as Balbriggan were bowled out for 87 - three wickets for Amish Sidhu.

Half centuries from the Pembroke trio of Blake McDonald, Harry and Tim Tector propelled Pembroke to 305 for 5 in their home clash with Rush. McDonald thumped 8 fours and 3 sixes in a rapid 55-ball 79, while Tim's 54 came at a run-a-ball (7 fours, 1 six). JJ Garth also chipped in with 45 as he and Tim shared an opening stamd of 109 in 17 overs, while a third wicket stand of 90 between McDonald and Harry took the home side to 212 for 2 in the 33rd over. Alex Neary's five wicket haul pegged it back a bit, but it was always going to be a tough ask. Indeed, that proved the case as Rush made 197 - Abidullah Taniwal top-scoring with 47.

An opening stand of 173 in 22.2 overs between Stephen Doheny and Swapnil Modgill effectively decided the match for Merrion at The Hills. Doheny hit 10 sixes and 9 fours in a whirlwind 115 from 77 balls, while Modgill's 71 from 83 deliveries included 7 fours and 3 sixes. Once they want the turmoil continued as Jamie Forbes made an excellent unbeaten 78 (10 fours, 3 sixes) as Merrion ended on an imposing 345 for 5. Brandon Kruger hit 53 (7 fours, 1 six), while Edson Silva clubbed 9 fours and 5 sixes in a 45-ball 77. It was all in vain though as four wickets for Hugh Kennedy and Stephen Doheny saw them bowled out for 235.

It was the Eddie Richardson show at North County with the former Irish international top-scoring with 86 from 89 balls (11 fours, 1 six), sharing a 9th wicket stand of 111 with Brandon Morris (45) that got them up to 193. Bakhtyar Nabi took four wickets, while there were three apiece for Zubair Khan and Darshit Shetty. Richardson then turned his attentions to the ball, and picked up four scalps as County were dismissed for 157, despite the best efforts of overseas professional Mark Adrianatos, who hit seven fours and two sixes in his 69. Morris completed a fine all-round effort with two wickets, while Alan Mathew also picked up a brace.

Ben Mitchell powered Leinster to an impressive four-wickets win at Balbriggan as they chased 292. The overseas player just missed out on a century as he hit 10 fours and 7 sixes in his hard-hit 67-ball 99. Gareth Delany (49) and Younas Ahmadzai (42) kept the boundaries flowing and an even time unbeaten half century from Joey Carroll steered them over the line. The home side had also batted well, spearheaded by half centuries from Connor Fletcher and Dylan Lues, while there were runs too for Jordan Hollard, Chris de Freitas and Ghanim Dara.

George Dockrell top-scored with 64 (4 fours) as Phoenix ground out a 52-run win against Cork County at The Mardyke. The Irish international was well supported by Eknoor Singh (31) and Shane Getkate (26) in their total of 194 - four wickets for Raj Undre and three for Bakhytar Nabi. County in reply were dismissed for 142, with three wickets for Amish Sidhu and two for Raghav Grover.

Merrion bounced back from last week's loss to inflict a 144-run defeat on Malahide. Opener Swapnil Modgill set the tone with a rapid 55-ball 73 (10 fours, 2 sixes), but the home side faltered to 104 for 4 and it needed contributions from the middle and lower order to post 301 for 9 - the highlights being 37 from skipper Max Sorensen and a last wicket stand of 62 between Andrew Doheny (36*) and Melvin Deveraj (31*). Malahide's reply never really got going with only Robbie Foulkes hard-hit 73 (8 fours, 2 sixes) causing any major consternation. Left-armer Tom Stanton (4-43) did the bulk of the damage with Sorensen picking up 2 for 29.

Clontarf made it two wins from two as they accounted for The Hills at Castle Avenue. Mitchell Thompson hit 8 fours and a six in a quickfire 56 as he and Eoghan Delany (37) shared a second wicket stand of 77 in 11 overs. Bobbo Forrest made 37 down the order but four wickets for Cian Nulty, plus a brace apiece for Sean McNicholl and Brandon Kruger kept them to what looked like a gettable 221. However The Hills' batting frailty was to the fore once more as only Hassan Shahid (45) offered any tangible resistance as they were bowled out for a pitiful 109. Yash Bala took three wickets, while there were two apiece for John McNally, Cillian McDonnell, and David Delany.

It was a day for the bat at Kenure where Rush and North County dished up almost 700 runs. Abidullah Taniwal led the way with a top score of 135 (12 fours, 9 sixes), while Hashir Sultan's hard hit unbeaten 106 from just 61 deliveries included 7 fours and 8 sixes. Finn McGee (34), Nasir Totalkhil (33) and Jack McGee (25) all chipped in and a final score of 371 for 6 looked daunting. County though were unfazed as after Brian Dunphy's 60, Hunter Kindley and Niall McGovern (51) shared a century stand. Kindley's 116 from 74 balls (10 fours, 5 sixes) took them to 222 for 3 and on course for the chase. However, he became Jarred Barnes' third wicket and they ended on 313 - hampered by the inability of John Devane to bat after sustaining a shoulder injury while fielding,

A second wicket stand of 156 was the driver for Clontarf's thumping 113 win over Balbriggan. Debutant Seamus Lynch top-scored with 94 (8 fours, 6 sixes), as he and former skipper Eoghan Delany 60 put the game beyond Balbriggan. New pro Patrick Xie (56), David Delany (39*) and John McNally (20) were also in the runs in an imposing total of 320 fpr 7. New captain David Delany took three wickets in the chase, while there two apiece for Xie and Yash Bala, as Balbriggan were bowled out for 207. Dylan Lues made 52, while Cameron Rowe scored 27.

Cork County were given a harsh introduction to top flight cricket as they were skittled for just 77 by Leinster. Skipper Bilal Azhar (5-22) and Jai Moondra (4-16) were the destroyers-in-chief in a fine bowling display. The chase was a routine one thanks to a second wicket stand of 66 between Tristen De Beer (34*) and Monil Patel (26*) as the nine wickets win was sealed inside 12 overs.

Irish Cup winners Phoenix started their 2025 campaign with a win thanks to a fine bowling display against Merrion. Batting first, Merrion reached 60 for 0 with runs for Swapnil Modgill (34) and Daniel Forkin (17). The wheels though came off as Ben White and Theo Dempsey took four wickets apiece to bowl them out for 128 - the Merrion bowlers got no fewer than seven lbw verdicts - a record? Eksor Singh (37*) and Shane Getkate (28) steered their side to a comfortable six wickets win despite two wickets apiece for Deveraj and Stanton.

The shock of the day saw defending champions Pembroke humbled by North County, even more so as the home side were without their talismanic captain Eddie Richardson, nursing a niggle. Macdara Cosgrave (58*) and new pro Blake MacDonald (44) were the main contributors to Pembroke's 209 - three wickets apiece for Alan Mathew and Usman Azhar. Brian Dunphy (34) anchored the first part of the chase, but at 105 for 5 it looked as if Pembroke would start their defence with a win. Mathew (47*) and Niall McGovern (40*) had other ideas as their unbroken sixth wicket partnership of 107 clinched the win.

Closest game of the day was at The Village with Diarmuid Burke the home side hero. With three needed from two balls, Burke's boundary secured the points in a 1-wicket win. In a game reduced to 37 overs, Phillipe Le Roux's 66 was the backbone of Railway's 182 for 8. Timcy Khanduja made 60, with Mohit Sane hitting a rapid 27 that kept the game in the balance before Malahide prevailed. Digamber Mishra took four wickets but the Park Avenue side will be left ruing the concession of 38 extras that included 27 wides - criminal.

Brandon Kruger's half century and a six wicket haul for Sean McNicholl were the catalysts for The Hills' 27-run win in the Fingal derby. Kruger hit 6 fours and 2 sixes in his 52, laying a solid foundation with Hassan Shahid (21) and skipper Tomas Rooney-Murphy (30) that took them to 100 for 1. Nathan McGuire took four wickets but a strong tail ensured a competitive 227. McNicholl's burst saw the chase faltering at 24 for 4, but Abidbullah Taniwal's 66 (7 fours, 2 sixes) and 30 from Finn McGee kept them in the hunt before falling 27 short.