IBI CORPORATE FINANCE PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW – AUGUST 26TH!
There are just three rounds of fixtures remaining in the IBI Corporate Finance Premier League this season, and this weekend sees something of a bonus feature, with the refixed clash between YMCA and Railway Union set to take place on Sunday as well as the full round of fixtures on Saturday afternoon.
The new league leaders, Leinster, travel to Skerries to take on The Hills, the home side got a much needed win last weekend against Balbriggan, only to see Merrion also win meaning little change to their position in the league! Balbriggan and Malahide currently occupy 2nd and 3rd positions in the league, and they clash at Jack Harper Park this weekend. Merrion have a string of three home games to finish the season off, starting off with YMCA, whilst in Park Avenue, Clontarf pay a visit to bottom of the table Railway Union, who are in dire need of a victory having seen both teams directly above them emerge from the weekend victorious.
BALBRIGGAN VS MALAHIDE
The home side have slipped to second after last weekend’s defeat, however their opposition this weekend also failed to win in the last round of fixtures so there was little movement on the table. Both sides have been leapfrogged by All-Ireland champions Leinster. Balbriggan’s batting line-up faltered last weekend, however they do still have a number of players in good form, most notably Chris de Freitas who leads the batting averages currently. Support from Ghanim Dara, Greg Ford and Connor Fletcher will allow them to set their quick bowlers Matt Pollard and Sam Willemse up for a good start with the ball. Malahide meanwhile crumbled in the face of a large run chase last weekend, they’ll be hoping to return to their usual form this weekend with Hunter Kindley and Younas Ahmadzai likely to be pivotal with the bat in that regard. With the ball there will be plenty of pressure on after conceding in excess of 300 last weekend, however there are undoubtedly plenty of options for skipper James Newland to lean on to try restrict this Balbriggan line-up.
KEY BATTLE: Matt Pollard vs Hunter Kindley
MERRION VS YMCA
Merrion ran up a big score last weekend thanks in the main to Stephen Doheny and Jack Carty’s excellent opening partnership, skipper Dom Joyce will be hopeful that the pair can once again build them a solid base, with the remainder of the line-up failing to fire as much as they would have hoped after the pair were dismissed last weekend. With the ball, Sam Harbinson is the spearhead of a strong attack, whilst Tom Stanton lead the way with three wickets last weekend, making up for the absence of frontline spinner Danny Forkin. YMCA meanwhile didn’t play last weekend however they did win the first game between these two sides when Tom Anders took five wickets in a collapse which saw Merrion lost 10 wickets for just 52 runs. He along with Mikey O’Reilly will be key with the ball this weekend, whilst there’ll be all eyes on Tim Tector and Adam Rosslee for runs too.
KEY BATTLE: Stephen Doheny vs Mikey O’Reilly
THE HILLS VS LEINSTER
A fixture which has been contested three times already this season across all competitions bar the Alan Murray Cup, Leinster are the form side in the province this season and have been consistent enough to drag themselves to the top of the table with just three games to go. Monil Patel and Joey Carroll have been in flying form with the bat, but it’s been the all-round prowess of their overseas man Pete Francis which has fired the side to another level this season. The Hills meanwhile got their first win since the second round of fixtures last weekend, thanks primarily to a fired up opening spell from Cian Nulty, who blew Balbriggan’s top order away. At the top of the order, runs for Murray Commins and Cormac McLoughlin-Gavin will be crucial for the home side.
KEY BATTLE: Murray Commins vs Pete Francis
RAILWAY UNION VS CLONTARF
Railway come into this weekend with two big games ahead of them, knowing that they really need to win at least one to get back within striking range of The Hills in 7th place. Riley Mudford has been the key all season and will be once again if the side are to have a chance in this game. Liam McCarthy’s opening spell with the ball will also be a massive moment in the game for the home side, as they seek to get themselves on the front foot. Clontarf meanwhile have collapsed with the bat twice in the space of two weeks, with their bowlers digging them out of trouble against The Hills, thanks to David Delany mainly, whilst a return to the side for last weekend’s Tillain cup-final century making hero David Vincent would strengthen the batting unit once more.
KEY BATTLE: Riley Mudford vs David Delany
