The RSA Leinster Senior Schools Cup was yesterday won by St Marys for the first time in 40 years. The high quality match was played in the best of spirit before a sizeable crowd in Anglesea Road. As often happens in finals the toss proved important and St Marys took advantage of batting first on a friendly wicket to post a very competitive score of 189/3 in 40 overs.
Although they lost two early wickets a century partnership between Tom Lynch and Dan Hogan laid the foundation for the total. It was a partnership of contrasting styles. Lynch started with six boundaries and when he was ultimately run out in the last over for 91 had scored at nearly a run a ball. Hogan, having seen two wickets fall early at the other end, set out to consolidate. He produced a well compiled innings before being bowled by St Andrews best bowler on the day – Cameron Shoebridge – for 57. Both players were given lives by St Andrews – whose fielding let them down.
On Merrion wickets a score of 189 is not by any means out of sight, but in a schools final the pressure is all on the side chasing. And so it proved. St Andrews never really recovered from the loss of early wickets and with St Marys trio of leg break bowlers always threatening, wickets fell at regular intervals. Lee Cole, Ryan Holm and Michael Kirk all managed to get into the 20s but no one was able to kick on to make a major contribution.
Gareth Delany and Ben Hoey took three wickets each but it was very much a team effort with Michael Hoey and Lynch also getting among the wickets.
In the end a comfortable and well deserved win by St Mary’s.
St Marys 189/3 [Lynch / 91, Hogan [D] / 57], Shoebridge 3/44]
St Andrews 136 ao [Kirk / 25, Hohn / 24, Cole [L] 20] Delany [G] 3/31, Hoey 3/32, Lynch 2/35, Hoey [M] 1/31.