Balbriggan continue to defy the odds as they pulled off a remarkable chase to beat YMCA at Claremont Road.

YM would have been confident at the half-way stage after Aaron Bailey’s unbeaten 94 from 102 balls (11 fours, 1 six) took them to 260 for 6. He shared a 4th wicket stand of 78 with Jamie Forbes (28), while there were runs too for Mitchell Thompson (40), plus Tim Tector and Adam Rosslee who made 22 apiece. Andrew Darroch (3-45) was the pick of the Balbriggan attack.

An opening stand of 99 between Connor Fletcher and Ghanim Dara (35) changed the mood, and although Dara and Chris De Freitas went in the space of three balls, that was to be the end of YM’s success. Fletcher was joined by skipper Greg Ford and they proceeded to win the match with an unbroken stand of 161 in 22 overs. Fletcher top-scored with 114 not out from 106 balls (15 fours, 2 sixes), while Ford’s unbeaten 101 from 76 balls (14 fours, 1 six) had the travelling support in raptures. The Balbiggan juggernaut rolls on, and this win will give them even more confidence.

Merrion stay on Balbriggan’s tail after they thumped Pembroke by 144 runs at Anglesea Road. An opening stand of 97 in 19 overs between Jack Carty and Stephen Doheny (38) set the tone for the game, and ensured Merrion were always in control. Carty top-scored with a run-a-ball 62 (9 fours, 1 six), while John Anderson (49) and Michael Lewis (28) also chipped in to their total of 243. Piyush Sharma claimed 5 for 37, while there were two wickets each for Poonish Mehta (2-39) and Gavin Hoey (2-57).

Pembroke lost early wickets to slip to 23 for 3, before Theo Lawson (27) and Danny Hogan (26) added 51 for the fourth wicket. At 74 for 3, they would have harboured hopes of challenging the target, but Amish Sidhu had other ideas, spinning his way to 6 for 15, as 74 for 3 quickly became 99 all out.

Clontarf got their first win of the campaign and in the process dealt what is probably a fatal blow to The Hills title ambitions. Skipper Eoghan Delany top-scored with 78 (5 fours, 1 six), while PJ Moor hit 6 fours and 3 sixes in a better than even time 76, and David Delany a busy 49 from 35 balls in the Castle Avenue’s 246 for 6 – two wickets for Tomas Rooney-Murphy.

The Hills reply got off to a poor start with Cormac McLoughlin-Gavin and Athar Farooqi both failing to score. Andrew Kavanagh (39), Mark Donegan (34) and Dylan Blignaut (38) batted well to get them into contention at 105 for 3 in the 28th, before Irish Under 19 international David Vincent intervened. The wily bowler spun his way to a five-wicket haul, claiming 5 for 37 as The Hills were dismissed for 195 – two wickets as well for Mick Granger in the 51-run win.

Malahide’s decision to swoop for former player Shane Getkate on a short-term loan deal from Instonians proved to be an inspired one as the Irish international played a major part in their win over Phoenix. Getkate top-scored with 67 (7 fours, 1 six) as they posted 215, with runs too for Ali Frost (44), Fintan McAllister (32), and Ryan Hackney (23). Great Dane Oliver Hald took five wickets, while there three for William Bennett (3-45).

The Phoenix reply was always lagging despite the best efforts of Tyrone Kane, who hit 6 fours and 2 sixes in his 68. Three wickets each for spinners Mike Frost (3-39) and Matt Ford (3-35), plus two for left-armer James Newland (2-27) saw Phoenix bowled out for 170.