Although the promotion places were settled somewhat earlier, the final match of the season between Terenure and Leinster determined the top honours. Victory for Terenure by 20 runs was sufficient to become Division II Champions by four percentage points.
Terenure’s return to the top flight was the result of many years effort by the club to bring through young players and the inspired decision to obtain the services of Andre Botha who had a great season in his first year with the club. With a points total of 261 [87%], 11 victories and only one loss, Terenure Ists proved one of the most successful teams in Leinster in 2011. The only blip in the season was a two wicket loss to Leinster in early June. Twenty four players were used by Terenure during the year with Andre Botha taking top batting honours in Leinster with 626 runs at an average of 69.33. He got good support from K McDonald, J Kleyweg and N Carrroll all of whom got over 400 runs. The main wicket takers were Botha [19] and Kleyweg [18] with good support from J Hoey [19].
Leinster pushed Terenure hard all season and also ended up with 11 victories. A loss by 14 runs to Malahide in the first match of the season in the end proved the difference between the two sides. Leinster used one of the smallest squads [16 players] of any team in the competition. Top scorer was stalwart Mark Jones with 384 [no other player broke 300]. Leinster did well in the field with C Edwards [30], P Byrne [25] and J Carroll [20] being the main wicket takers.
Malahide were unable to maintain early season promise when they achieved four wins out of five matches and following loses to Rush and Terenure twice their challenge fell away. In the end nine victories [65%] was not enough to get promotion. Malahide used 18 players during the season with P Tweddle [394] and J Govan [306] being the main run scorers. C Geraghty’s 299 runs at an average of 49 was also note worthy. On the bowling front two players took more than 20 wickets, Govan [26] and P Saville [20].
Rush ended the season with seven victories without ever really challenging for promotion. They used 19 players with S Iqbal [503], S Gull [446] and L Jansen [302] leading the batting and Gull with 20 wickets the most successful bowler.
Playing their first full season of matches under the new structures, Cork County flirted with relegation, but in the end they were comfortable enough and their four victories provided clear water between them and the bottom three teams. In all they used 20 players with R Durity averaging 48.78 [439] with the bat and G Barry the leading bowler [25].
In a similar outcome to Division 1, three teams fought to avoid the two relegation spots, Old Belvedere, Hill IIs and North County IIs. Despite a strong performance by S Singh who scored 470 runs with an average of 47, Old Belvedere could only manage two victories and finished last. The other two teams battled it out through the season with The Hills just managing to stay up with 24.00% [as against 22.86%], the difference perhaps being a single rained off match. North County had to use 31 players and The Hills 30 during the year. Belvedere had 21 players. Mal Byrne [Hills] scored 304 runs and T Richardson [NC] 343. No players took 20 wickets.