Railway Union defeated Terenure by 47-runs on Saturday afternoon, as Oliver Perry and Phillippe le Roux shone brightest on a scorching hot day.
After opting to bat first Kenny Carroll (26) set about the Terenure attack with relish, smashing six boundaries in the first four overs before becoming Mark Thomas’ (2-19) second victim of the day.
With the score 70/5 at the halfway mark, Terenure had a real chance to take a stranglehold on the match when both le Roux (35) and Prabanshu Kamal (21), new to the wicket, ended up at the same end and a run out seemed inevitable. Instead, a fielding error and an errant throw that ended up at the boundary, meant no run out and the opportunity for punishment.
Both Kamal and in particular le Roux set about making that mistake pay as they struck eight boundaries and one six between them.
Le roux did not quite see it through to the end but his 35 took Railway to 138/8 off their 20 overs, leaving Terenure requiring seven runs an over in the chase.
This meant it was over to Perry and he did not disappoint. Having been skewed over 3rd man for six by Seamus Lynch with his second ball, he responded by uprooting Lynch’s middle stump the very next delivery, before having Donal Lynch caught behind two balls later.
When Michael Cotter cut Perry to Carroll at point to leave Terenure 35/3 after 6 overs, Perry had ripped through the top order while Eoghan Grehan (3-1-11-0) kept things tight at the other end.
Lest le Roux’s heroics with the bat be forgotten, he took two identical diving catches in the covers, in successive overs to reduce Terenure to 71/7 as Railway consistently took wickets throughout the chase.
The second of these was off the bowling of Digamber Mishra who came on to bowl in the 13th over and proceeded to take 3-10 in just three overs.
Having started proceedings by taking the key wicket of Seamus Lynch, it was fitting that Oliver Perry returned to bowl the 19th over and picked up the final wicket as Diarmuid Lynch fell to another good diving catch, this time from Eoghan Grehan.
With the fall of this wicket, Railway Union had secured a 47-run victory, their third of the season and returned to the top of the Group B standings.
Elsewhere in Group B
At Inch, North County won by 10 runs on DLS against Malahide. However, that was only because of, and overshadowed by, a serious knee injury to Fintan McAllister as he batted. The injury came with the Villagers needing 24 off 8 deliveries in their chase of County’s 160/4 built around 44* for Eddie Richardson and 41 for Jonno Andrews. We wish Fintan a speedy recovery.
At Castle Avenue, Clontarf defeated Balbriggan by 12 runs. Andrew Delany continued his great form with the bat, as his 31 was the top score in 108/6. Despite 41 from Ghanim Dara, Conor Kelly’s spell of 4-16 proved the difference as Clontarf won a low-scoring affair.
In north Fingal at The Vineyard, YMCA defeated The Hills by 5 wickets. A pair of 39s from Bobby Gamble and Wilhelm de Klerk, de Klerk’s unbeaten, took YM to victory after Cillian McDonnell’s 3-20 had helped restrict The Hills to 127/7.
Four sides, Malahide, North County, YMCA, and Railway Union now sit atop the Group table with three wins and one defeat.
In Group A
Pembroke had a huge 14-run victory over Merrion at Anglesea Road. Gavin Hoey top-scored with 17 as five players got into double figures in a total of 105 all out in the final over. Amish Sidhu (3-13) and Sean Stanton (3-18) looked to have bowled Merrion into a strong position but tight bowling led by skipper Fiachra Tucker’s 3-10, saw Merrion held to 91/8 off their 20 overs in reply.
At Kenure, Phoenix beat Rush by 5-wickets, in no small part thanks to Jamie Grassi’s 98 which included 11 boundaries and five maximums. Earlier Theo Dempsey took 4-36 as Rush amassed 174/9 to set Phoenix the target they chased down with an over to spare.
North Kildare against Dublin University was cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions and Leinster had no game scheduled.
Similarly, in this group, four sides with just one defeat, Phoenix, Merrion, Pembroke, and Leinster. Although Leinster have only played three matches to the four played by the other clubs.
LHW Financial Planning Leinster Senior League Cup 20-over
Group B
Terenure v Railway Union, Terenure, Saturday August 8th
Railway Union 138/8 20 Overs (P le Roux 35, K Carroll 26; D Lynch 3-25)
Terenure 91 a/o 18.4 Overs (D Bernard 20; O Perry 4-23, D Mishra 3-10)
Railway Union won by 47 runs