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1. John Cotter Says:
   July 7th, 2010 at 10:08 pm

   Its difficult to sum up the 4ths season so far. After 6 league games we have won three and lost 3, and are still in the Intermediate cup. Castle Avenue has become a fortress, as we have won all of our 4 games at home, but came home heavily defeated after trips to Marley Park, Rathdrum and Wexford. All in all we are mid table in a very tight league and could still be promoted or relegated!

   Our first game in Marley Park left us chasing 148 to win on a good mat but with an outfield that wasn’t cut and acted as a barrier for any ball hit hard. We struggled to 124 in 40 overs, falling well short. Certain that we were unlikely to see conditions like it again this season, we left content knowing we would improve.

   Ireland Women in Castle Avenue were next, with whispers of this wonder child addition drafted into the Clontarf team from Australia circulating the Ireland camp. Selena duly lived up to the hype, smashing the bowling everywhere and taking us form 49 for 4 to 187 for 6, with help from John Mahony (34) and Huw Leggate (29*). Her 74 runs from 93 balls swung the match, and left the ladies chasing 195 to win in 45 overs. Mark Collier and Conor Mullins took 3 wickets each to snuff out the chase, and we won comfortably.

   Our next trip to Avondale to play the newly named Co. Wicklow was a truly unpleasant game, where tempers flared and blood was spilt. Not a lot of good to say, and we lost. Selena top scored with 42, so that was a plus, but that was about all.

   Onwards to the reverse fixture the week after, this time with LCU umpires (thanks Jim McGeehan!) which changed the tone of the day considerably. Fearghal Sullivan had been scoring runs frequently throughout the year and made another good start opening the batting, scoring 42 from 69 balls. A run a ball 25* from David Foley left us on 158 for 8 in 45 overs, and a job to defend it. 3 early wickets from Selena gave us a great start, but complacency set in and it was left to Deryck Vincent (3/14) and Frank Furlong (2/1) to break the big partnership and finish off the tail; Wicklow all out for 142. Another good win at home!

   Travelling to Wexford is never the easiest of prospects, and at some stage during the week fulfilling the fixture becomes the only priority. This game featured the 4ths debuts of Andrew and David Delany, who held their own well, along with their father Gerry, who took two magnificent catches! David bowled well, conceding only 9 runs in 4 overs, as Wexford posted 231 in 45 overs. Andrew made a battling 13 on a deteriorating dusty pitch, after Kevin James was out caught having smashed the ball off the bowler and watching in horror as it was deflected directly into the hands of mid off! It was one of those days… we did bat our overs, coming up well short.

   The welcome distraction of Whelan cup cricket arrived, with 15 8 ball overs suiting our attacking team. We beat Old Belvedere in Cabra, leaving it late to chase 81 to win on the schools pitch. Three days later in the 2nd round we lost to Civil Service on the final ball trying to defend 102. By then our Intermediate Cup game had been reduced to 20 overs, so these games provided good practice in the shortened form of the game.

   Prior to the cup match YMCA visited Castle Avenue, and we set them the target of 195 to win in 45 overs, with 30’s from Rob Abbott, Ross Maybury, Bryan McDermott and John Mahony in a good team effort with the bat. Our bowling started well and having them 65 for 6, it was annoying that we let them score 158 in the end. Thanks to Laura Erskine for umpiring, and sorry it took so long! Another victory, and another good bowling performance from Fearghal Sullivan (3/25), left us confident going into the cup game.

   Sandyford came to visit last Tuesday evening, and after a steady start from Brian Nolan, he attacked to make 38 (from 41 balls) alongside Frankie Furlong (51 from 30 balls) to leave Sandyford chasing 141 to win. A disciplined start to the bowling from Laura Cullen (1/7) and Selena Tainton (3/17) left them with a mountain to climb, and solid bowling from Fearghal Sullivan (3/8) and David Foley (1/19) finished off the job. 4 dismissals from Hugo Whelan behind the stumps gave us a victory by 77 runs. Cheers to Bryan Mac for umpiring, and any of the ball by ball detail supplied in this report is thanks to Samuel Richie’s scoring, which has been a great help this season! We play Leinster in the next round in the coming weeks, and will hope to continue this good streak of form!

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