This was Ireland's 3rd successive win over IZ. Each team had now won 4 games of the 11 played. IZ brought 6 of the 1874 team (Middleton, Law, E Lubbock, Lord de Broke, Macan and AJ Webbe), Higgins and C Marriott who had played in 1873 and 3 newcomers, Colthurst, Tollemache and Sutherland. WH Hadow did not come this year and once again IZ was rather weak in bowling - so much so that Ireland made a 2nd innings score of 265, their highest to date. Byrne and Neill then swept out IZ for only 58. Byrne, after his complete triumph in 1873, returned to take 5 for 10 in no less than 25 overs in the IZ 2nd innings.
Ireland introduced DN Trotter from Co. Meath. He was only 17 years of age but had entered Dublin University the previous year. In 1875 for Trinity against WG Grace's United South of England XI Trotter made 52 and followed this with 109 against the same team in 1876. This was the first century in Ireland against professional bowling and Trotter was then only 18. He was a very elegant batsman who stood erect with his left toe pointing at the bowler and feet close together at right angles to each other, as was the fashion at the time. He had marvellous wrists and could cut the ball away over point's head in an extraordinary manner. He was a born cricketer who never practised but was a very indifferent fielder. For Ireland he was not always successful scoring 448 runs (average 14.93) in 18 games between 1875 and 1890.
The match extended into 3 days because at the close of play on the 2nd day IZ were 49 for 6 having been set 260 to win. IZ then agreed to a 3rd day in order to finish the game. The Lord Lieutenant, the Duke of Abercorn, was present throughout the game and IZ stayed at the Vice Regal residence throughout their Dublin visit.
On the first day it was after noon when a start was made. The crowd was not as big as usual when Barry and Cox opened for Ireland to the bowling of Middleton and Law. Ireland could only muster 94 and indeed at one stage were 58 for 8. It was E Lubbock, with his fast left arm underarm bowling, who did most damage. After Barry had been caught off Middleton for 3 at 5, Lubbock replaced Law. His first two overs were maidens but the first ball of his 3rd over bowled Cox (27-2-9). The 3rd ball of this over bowed GD Casey for 0. Trotter, who had come in at no. 3, and made a pretty 13, was run out through his own fault with the score still at 27. Kempster and W Hone Jnr. were now in but Lubbock bowled Kempster at 32 and A Young at 34. L Hone then joined W Hone Jnr. and they put on 21 for the 7th wicket. Lubbock was rested and Law was brought back. The latter bowled W Hone Jnr. for 12 at 55. W Hone Snr. came in but at 58 Law bowled L Hone for 16. Neill now came in and hit about him in great style. He and W Hone Snr. added 30 for the 9th wicket before Lubbock returned and bowled Hone for 5. Byrne and Neill added 10 and then Lubbock bowled Byrne - his 6th wicket and all were clean bowled. Neill was 27 not out which included seven 3's, - six in succession. On the Vice Regal ground at that time a boundary was a 3 not 4.
At 3 00 AJ Webbe and C Marriott opened for IZ to Byrne and Neill, the heroes respectively of the 1873 and 1874 games. The IZ innings followed the Irish pattern. Seven were out for 54 but the last 3 wickets added 46 - the last pair carrying IZ past the Irish total and into 3 figures. The first 4 wickets fell for 14 runs - all to Neill. C Marriott was stumped by L Hone (keeping wicket for Ireland for the first time); Webbe was caught by L Hone; Colthurst caught by W Hone Snr. and Macan bowled. W Higgins and Middleton stopped the collapse and took the score to 50. Byrne changed ends and with the wind behind him bowled Middleton for a good 21. E Lubbock was next. At 53 Byrne bowled Higgins for 20 (he had one hit out of the ground). de Broke was stumped off Neill without scoring. 54-7. H Tollemache joined Lubbock in a partnership which brought about a bowling change - Young replacing Neill. Young bowled 2 maidens and gave away 8 runs in his 3rd over and Kempster came on. Kempster took the last 3 wickets for 8 runs in 8.2 overs. He bowled Tollemache in his 3rd over for a well played 17 (84-8). W Law, who went in late because of an injured hand, joined the careful Lubbock. Ten were added before Law was caught by Trotter at slip off Kempster. Sutherland and Lubbock, the last pair, put IZ in the lead and at 5.15 the 100 went up - each player hitting a 3. At once Kempster bowled Sutherland and left the careful Lubbock with 17 not out - made out of 50 while he was in. Neill once again took 5 wickets in an innings.
At 5 30 Ireland went in again. Cox opened with Neill this time. Law bowled Cox and Middleton bowled Neill so that at drawing of stumps Ireland were 29 for 2, with GD Casey 9 not out.
The 2nd day brought a complete transformation. Batting triumphed and the weak IZ bowling was shown up. Casey and W Hone Jnr. took the score from 29 to 103. Then the former was finely caught by Macan at point off Law for 38. GF Barry came next but after making a very good 17 out of 25 he was run out by his own extreme carelessness. Five runs later W Hone Jnr. was out for 54, his first half century for Ireland. He was caught and bowled by Middleton, having hit eight 3's and a magnificent 6 in the direction of the Magazine Fort. Trotter made 7 and was caught at the wicket off Higgins, "having not the least idea that he had touched the ball"! At 161 Young was caught off Sutherland. 161-7-4. The came the best stand of the match - one of 93 between Kempster and L Hone. Kempster made 65 and Hone 47. The 7th bowler tried was AJ Webbe. In 6.2 overs he took the remaining 3 wickets for 9 runs, having Hone caught, bowling Kempster and getting Byrne lbw. Kempster hit a 6, two 4's and nine 3's, while Hone hit a 6 and a 4. Both the 6's were into the plantation in front of the Royal Hibernian School.
Just before 5 00 IZ went in needing 260 to win. At the close of play at 6 15 they were 49 for 6 and all hope was gone. Byrne and Neill shared the 6 wickets. At 10, L.Hone caught Webbe behind the wicket for the 2nd time in the match and a little later he caught Higgins at an almost impossible stretch just as the ball was reaching the ground. Others dismissed on the 2nd evening were Colthurst, Middleton, Lubbock and de Broke. The not outs were C Marriott (7) and Macan (10).
Twenty minutes play sufficed on the third day for the remaining wickets to fall. Byrne bowled Macan with his first ball and had Law caught in the same over. Neill took the two remaining wickets and IZ were all out for 58. Byrne had the amazing figures of 5 for 10 in 25 overs of which 19 were maidens. Neill had now bowled in 4 innings for Ireland, taking 8 for 42; 6 for 58; 5 for 40 and 5 for 41. In all 24 wickets for 181 runs. Byrne had also bowled in 4 innings, taking 9 for 48; 9 for 37; 2 for 40 and 5 for 10. In all 25 wickets for 135 runs.
As soon as this game ended the match against XV of Vice Regal began. The Vice-Regal scored 316 and won by an innings. W Hone Jun. made 96 and Kempster 92 and Byrne took 14 wickets. Travelling South, IZ were also beaten by XVI of Bandon - H Dawson and G Young causing frightful havoc in the ranks of the IZ batsmen.
After this tour the IZ Captain wrote "Year by year Ireland becomes stronger in its cricket, and IZ must find better bowling and safe batting if they hope ever to win again."