Clontarf welcomed last year's champions Leinster to Castle Avenue for a Mason Alexander/LHW Financial Planning Premier League T20 refix. As always the ground was in top order and Clontarf having called correctly at the toss asked the visitors to bat.
Danny Coad and Joe Carroll opened for Leinster. D Delany and Joe Morrissey bowling for Clontarf. The score went to 22 at a little over a run a ball when Joe Carroll was trapped in front by Shariful Islam. Five runs later Danny Coad was bowled by Joe Morrissey. George Dockrell joined Monil Patel but didn't last too long falling c&b to Obus Pienaar for 3. JP O'Dwyer hung around for 5 from 15 balls falling lbw to Conor Kelly who then bowled Fionn O'Sullivan next ball for 0. Leinster now in trouble at 53-5. Patel was patient at the other end, but finally fell to Sameer Dutt caught by Bill Coughlan for 21. Michael Hogan and Ian O'Herlihy then put together the best partnership for Leinster bringing the score to 120. Hogan bowled by Pienaar for 38 from 32 balls. O'Herlihy went soon after for 20 stumped by Robert Forrest again off the bowling of Pienaar. Saqib Bahadur finished not out 5 and Anees Ahmad not out 0. Bilal Azhar did not bat. Leinster finished on 125 for 8.
All of Clontarf's bowlers contributed with Obus Pienaar the pick, taking 3-29, Conor Kelly 2-18, Shariful Islam 1-10, Sameer Dutt 1-10, Joe Morrissey 1-23, Paul Ryan 0-11 and David Delany 0-19.
The home side went about their task with relish, and really never looked in trouble. Conor Kelly and Bill Coghlan opened and the pair batted beautifully until Conor Kelly was bowled by Saqib Bahadur for 15 when the score was 40. Obus Pienaar joined Coghlan who was by now in full flow. Coghlan finally fell for an excellent 56 in 49 balls with 8 fours and 1 six, caught by Joe Carroll off the bowling of Anees Ahmed, when the score was 87. Pienaar was then joined by Declan Gallagher and the pair brought Clontarf safely home. Pienaar not out 36 and Gallagher not out 15. Clontarf finishing 128 for 2 in 17.3 overs.
Leinster's bowlers tried hard, but trying to defend only 125 proved too hard. Anees Ahmad 1-26, Saqib Bahadur 1-32, Bilal Azhar 0-12, Joe Carroll 0-26 and George Dockrell 0-26, .
An easy victory for the home side in the end.
Clontarf (24 pts)
Leinster (1 pt)